ChevronTexaco Sued in MTBE Dumping Case
Kern County prosecutors are suing ChevronTexaco Corp. for allegedly dumping water contaminated with the gasoline additive MTBE into an oil field.
The district attorney’s office, which filed the lawsuit Tuesday, is seeking $4.7 million in penalties.
The lawsuit alleges that the company engaged in unfair business practices when it disposed of more than 4 million gallons of MTBE-tainted water. The water was trucked in from Cambria from November 2000 to April 2002.
ChevronTexaco officials said the water poses no health hazard.
MTBE, or methyl tertiary butyl ether, is a gas additive that reduces air pollution. But it may be carcinogenic and is being phased out of the gasoline supply.
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