Renewable Fuels Act of 2001

The Renewable Fuels Act of 2001 (S. 670) proposed a significant shift in how gasoline is produced and regulated in the United States to protect water quality and promote cleaner energy. The bill would have banned the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE)—a common gasoline additive found to contaminate groundwater—within four years and replaced it with a phased-in requirement for renewable fuels like ethanol. For everyday citizens, this legislation aimed to reduce the risk of chemical pollutants in drinking water while increasing the national demand for alternative fuels derived from agricultural products. Additionally, the bill sought to provide federal funding to clean up existing underground storage tank leaks that posed risks to public health and the environment.