AUGUSTA – A bill seeking to ban the use of a highly polluting gasoline additive called MTBE got the unanimous support of the Maine Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee on Friday.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether was embraced by state environmental officials as a means of reducing air pollution from the state’s vehicles. However, the chemical, which is believed to be carcinogenic, polluted dozens of wells and public water systems throughout the state.

Department of Environmental Protection officials spoke in favor of the bill at a public hearing this week, saying that other New England states are considering similar legislation. Connecticut and New York have already done so.

If the DEP’s plan is approved, Maine could shift to a gasoline-ethanol fuel blend as early as 2007.

The bill, LD 1870, will likely go before the full Legislature next week.