(September 7, 2016, 1:09 PM EDT) -- PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The State of Rhode Island on Sept. 6 filed a lawsuit in federal court against 34 companies that sold gasoline containing the additives methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and tert butyl alcohol (TBA), seeking to recover the costs for cleaning up groundwater contaminated by the chemical (State of Rhode Island v. Alon Refining Krotz Springs, et al., No. CA16-495, D. R.I.).

(Complaint available. Document #08-160909-021C.)

In its lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, the...