Oil Industry Escapes Liability for Future Gas Additive Probes

Pennsylvania can’t charge dozens of oil companies $16 million for future investigations of methyl tertiary butyl ether groundwater contamination, after a federal judge said the state didn’t prove that restorative measures are necessary.

Defendants—including including Shell Oil Co., Exxon Mobil Corp.. BP America Inc. and Chevron USA Inc.—are entitled to partial summary judgment for the investigation costs at 42 contamination sites after the state didn’t adequately prove ongoing environmental impacts from the gasoline additive, The US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled Wednesday.

Remediation work has already been completed at the sites and “a need for ...