CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – U.S. Rep. Charles Bass says the energy bill expected to pass the House on Thursday eventually will include a plan to pay for damages and pollution caused by the gasoline additive MTBE.

The plan, which Bass said Wednesday he would be able to attach to the energy bill if the measure passes, would use federal, corporate and other money to pay for MTBE damages. The additive has been blamed for contaminating wells.

“This is really going to be the long-term solution,” the Republican congressman said during a conference call with reporters. “It’s a novel approach. It’s one that we’ve been working on for some time.”

Bass said he supports the energy bill, though he previously had opposed it. In 2003, he joined the rest of the state’s delegation condemning it, citing a provision that would have negated New Hampshire’s lawsuit against the oil industry over MTBE.

Bass said he felt this energy bill includes more for the Northeast, including a rebate program for heating systems using renewable energy and provisions for developing wood pellet heating systems, which could lessen the region’s dependence on oil.

But other lawmakers were incensed Wednesday that they could not debate on the House floor another provision in the bill that would give makers of MTBE a shield against product liability lawsuits by communities facing expensive cleanup costs.

Bass’ measure is intended to address those concerns.

The energy bill also calls for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Opponents of the legislation planned to introduce an amendment that would strip that measure from the bill.

Bass, who opposes opening the refuge to oil drilling, said he planned to support that amendment.

“I am deeply disappointed that this irresponsible and imprudent provision was added to an otherwise comprehensive and significantly improved bill,” he said in a statement. “This shortsighted focus on the symptoms of our addiction to all fossil fuels fails to address the underlying problem.”