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Mr. Bryan C.Adams Elk River Municipal Utility (763)441-8099 From: AWWA (303)347-0804 01/15/04 03:49PM <br /> Legislative Alert (, <br /> ,\\® 8888 West Quincy Avenue <br /> Denver,CO 80235-3098 <br /> American Water Works T(303)794-7711 <br /> F(303)795-1989 <br /> Association www.awwa.org <br /> The Authoritative Resource for Safe Drinking Water sM <br /> In 41-2/ <br /> LEGISLATIVE ALERT <br /> TO: AWWA Leadership <br /> All Utilities <br /> FROM: Jack W. Hoffbuhr <br /> ODA <br /> DATE: January 15, 2004 d411 <br /> a. <br /> Who: AWWA Utility Members <br /> • <br /> What: Urge Senators to oppose MTBE safe harbor/ L <br /> submit Letters to Editor <br /> When: As soon as possible <br /> Congress reconvenes in Washington Jan. 20, and we expect the U.S. Senate to revisit an Energy Bill that <br /> still includes defective product liability immunity for gasoline producers in cases of MTBE contamination in <br /> the next few weeks. <br /> AWWA again encourages utilities to aggressively oppose this "safe harbor' provision, which would largely <br /> exempt the oil industry from accountability in cases of water supplies contaminated by MTBE. <br /> AWWA utility members played a pivotal role in blocking enactment of this provision last November. <br /> However, lobbyists for the oil industry need only two more votes to break a filibuster and pass the Energy <br /> Bill with MTBE safe harbor intact. If they succeed,water utilities and local communities may be saddled <br /> with MTBE cleanup costs of more than $29 billion. <br /> AWWA advises utilities to take the following action: <br /> 1. Fax, e-mail or call your senators to thank them if they opposed the Energy Bill containing MTBE <br /> safe harbor, or encourage a change of heart if they supported the Energy Bill. (Attached are two <br /> sample letters to senators and a document showing how each senator voted in November.) If you <br /> already contacted your senators on this in the fall, it is appropriate to contact them again because <br /> Congress is reconvening and because Energy Bill proponents will make another attempt to pass <br /> this legislation. <br /> 2. Submit"letters to the editor" reminding newspaper readers that MTBE safe harbor is bad policy and <br /> urging the senators in your state to oppose the Energy Bill (Attached is a suggested letter for <br /> adaptation.) <br /> -- MORE -- <br /> MTBE Pollutes Energy Bill Page 2 <br />