DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND NEW RADIO AD
PEARCE AND WILSON: TWO BAD FOR NEW MEXICO BUT TOO GOOD TO POLLUTERS

New radio ad denounces Pearce and Wilson for taking campaign cash and protecting polluters of toxic chemical MTBE

WASHINGTON – The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today launched a new radio ad denouncing New Mexico Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson for protecting producers of the potential carcinogen, MTBE, which has contaminated hundreds of groundwater sites in New Mexico. Launching the second phase of the "Two Bad for New Mexico" campaign, the radio ad tells how both Pearce and Wilson voted to give the makers of the toxic chemical immunity from legal action while accepting tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from those companies.

"Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce are two bad for New Mexico and any citizens concerned about their water quality safety," said Ed Yoon, Defenders Action Fund's New Mexico Campaign Manager. "Shame on Pearce and Wilson for protecting toxic chemical producers rather than their constituents, who are at risk from MTBE-contaminated water."

New Mexico has hundreds of sites where the groundwater is contaminated with the toxic chemical called Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether, a gasoline additive better known as MTBE, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as a "potential carcinogen." It is often released into ground and surface water through underground storage tanks and pipelines, spills or emissions.

In 2005, Wilson and Pearce supported an effort to protect producers of MTBE from lawsuits that stemmed from contaminated drinking water sources.  At that time, the nation had 1,861 water systems in 29 states with traces of MTBE and several communities were suing the manufacturers to help pay for the cleanups.  The legal shield to protect MTBE manufacturers was championed by the former, disgraced House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), whose state is home to several manufacturers of MTBE. 

Pearce and Wilson both voted against an effort to remove the MTBE liability protection. Their campaign contribution records show that Rep. Wilson received $61,500 and Rep. Pearce received $44,500 from the lobbyists representing the makers of MTBE.  Even more scandalous, both Wilson and Pearce took campaign money directly before, and directly after, voting to protect the makers of MTBE.

"New Mexico deserves better than politicians like Pearce and Wilson. They would rather protect their chemical industry campaign contributors than protect ordinary families put at risk by toxic chemicals," Yoon continued.  "Our campaign will continue to highlight their terrible records of serving special interests over people's interests."

For more information and to hear the ad go to www.2Bad4NM.org.

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The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.