Resolution 1998-41
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RESOLUTION NO. 98-41
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GILROY REQUESTING GOVERNOR PETE WILSON TO
PROHIBIT THE USE OF METHYL TERTIARY-BUTYL
ETHER (MTBE) IN CALIFORNIA'S GASOLINE
WHEREAS, California's water supply is its most important natural resource and its
protection is crucial to the future of California, and
WHEREAS, California's cities and communities rely on this water supply for their
drinking water, to maintain agriculture as viable in California and for the daily life activities of all
of California's citizens, and
WHEREAS, the approximately 60,000+ people of the City of Gilroy and the South Santa
Clara County area rely exclusively on ground water aquifers as the source of drinking water, and
for agriculture uses, and
WHEREAS, California's water supplies lost through contamination will require new
sources of water to be developed at a huge cost born mostly by the State Government, and
WHEREAS, protecting this natural and valuable resource is critical to insuring the future
ofthis great state and the success of California's economy, and
WHEREAS, the willingness of California leaders to insure this natural and critical
resource is protected will be one of the measures by which future generations will judge present
leadership, and
WHEREAS, this water supply is today, as are most water supplies in the State of
California, threatened with irreparable harm from the gasoline additive Methyl Tertiary-Butyl
Ether (MTBE), which has been detected in local aquifers and reservoirs, and
WHEREAS, it is well known that once MTBE enters an aquifer or drinking water well, it
cannot easily be removed, if at all, and that water source must be abandoned, creating an
irreparable harm to a local community, and
WHEREAS, MTBE is a pervasive compound that by the time it can be detected,
contamination has already occurred and the water supply has been rendered useless, thereby
rendering prevention as the only viable means to maintain water supplies free ofMTBE, and
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RESOLUTION NO. 98-41
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WHEREAS, to date, over 300 underground storage tanks alone in Santa Clara County
have been determined to have been leaking MTBE, thereby creating a serious exposure to
contamination of the water supply in one of California's most critical economic regions, and
WHEREAS, it is now urgent that the leadership of California take effective measures to
stop further exposure and risk to this State's water supply from this gasoline additive.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council ofthe City of Gilroy
urgently requests that the State of California immediately prevents further use ofMTBE, or any
other oxygenate, as an additive to motor vehicle fuels, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council ofthe City of Gilroy urgently
requests the Governor to exercise his executive office and powers to insure the safety of
California's water supply and resources by removing the additive MTBE and other ether
oxygenates from motor vehicle fuels in the State of California, and urges the Governor to work
with the appropriate Federal officials to achieve this prohibition and to identify alternative
methods to achieve acceptable air quality levels that do not expose the water supply of this great
state and the future of its citizens to harm.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 3rd day of August, 1998 by the following vote:
AYES:
COUNCILMEMBERS: ARELLANO, GIFFORD, MORALES,
ROWLISON, SPRINGER, SUDOL, GILROY
NOES:
COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
APPROVED:
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K. A. Mike Gilroy, Mayor '\
ATTEST:
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Rhonda Pellin, City Clerk
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RESOLUTION NO. 98-41
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I, RHONDA PELLIN, City Clerk of the City of Gilroy, do hereby certify that the attached
Resolution No. 98-41 is an original resolution, duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy
at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 3rd day of August, 1998, at which meeting a
quorum was present.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Official Seal of
the City of Gilroy this 14th day of August, 1998.
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City Clerk of the City of Gilroy
(Seal)