GOP Pushes Carnahan on MTBE

State Republican leaders call on Governor Carnahan to ban the gas additive MTBE in Missouri, and Senate Republican leader Steve Ehlmann criticizes Carnahan for urging the Clinton Administration to work toward a federal solution rather than seeking a state one. Governor Carnahan spokesman Jerry Nachtigal says St. Louis participates in the federal clean air program which requires the use of reformulated gas with MTBE as its major component. Nachtigal says the call to ban MTBE is purely political and Republican suggestions that the governor and his administration is not on top of the issue is totally untrue.