Rhode Island AG Reached Settlement with Two Major Gas & Oil Companies for MTBE Contamination

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha reached a million-dollar settlement with Coastal Corporation and BP for contaminating the state’s soil and groundwater with methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a dangerous gasoline additive, at its oil refineries. The AG’s office has previously entered similar agreements with other oil refiners. Including this settlement, the AG’s office has recovered a total of nearly $19.85 million from MTBE litigation thus far. At the time of this settlement, the office had one outstanding MTBE pollution case (against ExxonMobil). The funds will be used for MTBE emergency response and cleanup.