It’s astonishing that backers of the energy bill still insist on including an egregious provision that protects the oil industry at the expense of water consumers.

MTBE defective product liability immunity – so-called “safe harbor” – prevents communities from holding gasoline makers accountable for a product that has contaminated hundreds of water supplies across the country. It’s this very provision that stopped passage of the energy bill last year, and for good reason.

The MTBE problem is both widespread and growing. According to the American Water Works Association, 36 states have water supplies that are contaminated with MTBE. Hundreds of water supplies have been contaminated already.

Thankfully, Lake Auburn has not been contaminated, but it shouldn’t be up to the customers in Auburn or Lewiston to have to pay for cleanup if a contamination did occur. This issue is not only about economics. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified MTBE as a possible human carcinogen. Today, MTBE contamination clean-up costs have an estimated price tag of more than $29 billion.

Thankfully, Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe announced their opposition to the energy bill last year, choosing safe drinking water and public health over special interests. They deserve credit for remaining firm in the face of intense pressure from oil industry lobbyists.

Gasoline makers are advancing a number of empty arguments to convince us that MTBE contamination is not their problem. As long as the energy bill contains MTBE safe harbor, it should be defeated.

Mary Jane Dillingham, water quality manager, Auburn Water District, Lewiston Water Division, Auburn