00CS FOR SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2(HES)                                                                                     
01 Urging the Environmental Protection Agency to request a moratorium from the                                             
02 Congress for the MTBE oxygenated fuels programs in Anchorage and Fairbanks,                                             
03 Alaska.                                                                                                                 
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:                                                                                           
05  WHEREAS preliminary findings from an epidemiology study performed by the                                               
06 Department of Health and Social Services, released on December 23, 1992, led to the                                     
07 recommendation that the oxygenated fuels program in Anchorage should be suspended; and                                  
08  WHEREAS preliminary findings from an epidemiology study performed by the                                               
09 Department of Health and Social Services, released on December 11, 1992, led to the                                     
10 recommendation that the oxygenated fuels program in Fairbanks should be suspended; and                                  
11  WHEREAS the health effects of blending methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) with                                         
12 gasoline are unknown, especially in exceptionally cold climates such as in Anchorage and                                
13 Fairbanks; and                                                                                                          
14  WHEREAS a significant number of Anchorage and Fairbanks residents have asked                                           

01 for a suspension of the MTBE oxygenated fuels program through petition signatures, opinions                             
02 expressed at public forums, letters, phone calls, and public opinion messages to legislators;                           
03 and                                                                                                                     
04  WHEREAS there are other methods, such as natural gas vehicles and increased bus                                        
05 service, for reducing carbon monoxide pollution; and                                                                    
06  WHEREAS the oxygenated fuels program could be reintroduced if the cold weather                                         
07 health effects of MTBE-blended oxyfuels are determined to be safe to human health;                                      
08  BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Senate urges the Environmental Protection                                         
09 Agency to request a moratorium from the Congress for the Anchorage and Fairbanks                                        
10 oxygenated fuels programs so that they are not resumed for the winter of 1993 - 1994 unless                             
11 complete and conclusive studies clearly show that MTBE-blended fuels are not harmful to our                             
12 citizens' health and that MTBE-blended fuels are the most effective way to reduce carbon                                
13 monoxide pollution in Anchorage and Fairbanks.                                                                          
14  COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to Carol M. Browner, Administrator of the                                      
15 Environmental Protection Agency; to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Frank                                   
16 Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative, members of                                  
17 the Alaska delegation in Congress; and to the Honorable Tom Fink, Mayor, Municipality of                                
18 Anchorage; and the Honorable Jim Sampson, Mayor, Fairbanks North Star Borough.