WPCNR THE DUMP NEWS. From Senator Hillary Clinton's Press Office. August 1, 2007: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today introduced a bill which would provide funding to speed up  EPA assessment and setting of standards  on TCE-contaminated sites in New York State and the nation. The Senator in a news conference today characterizes TCE (Trichloralethylene) as a dangerous pollutant, saying "numerous scientific studies make it clear that TCE has the potential to cause cancer, damage the nervous and immune systems, and cause developmental effects in children."

The City of White Plains currently is in the final phases of determining with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, if it will be required to remediate the TCE-tainted soils that have made the dump a source of unpleasant odors in the summer months for thirty years. Both the city and the DEC have been aware of the contamation for three decades. However, the White Plains site is not on the roster of TCE-contaminated sites in New York.

Here is the official news release announcing the Senator's program:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) today announced that she has introduced the “TCE Reduction Act” to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set tougher regulations to protect the public from exposure to the carcinogenic chemical Trichloroethylene (TCE).

Today's announcement follows earlier efforts by Senator Clinton to urge the EPA to address the growing TCE contamination crisis in New York. http://clinton.senate.gov/documents/news/05_31_07_epa.html.  The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Dole (R-NC), Boxer (D-CA), Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Kerry (D-MA).  Representatives Solis and Hinchey plan to introduce companion legislation in the United States House of Representatives.

TCE is one of the most widespread industrial water contaminants in the nation, and is found at many sites across New York.  Of the 86 federal Superfund sites in New York alone, more than 30 have been found by the EPA to have TCE contamination.  Endicott, Franklin Square, Garden City, Hopewell Junction, Ithaca, Norwich and Victor are a few of the communities throughout New York that are known to be contaminated with TCE.  Senator Clinton's bill follows lengthy delays by EPA in setting a new standard in the face of growing scientific evidence and contamination that is more widespread.

“It is unacceptable that the EPA has failed to protect the public from TCE in the face of stronger scientific evidence that it causes cancer, and growing exposure problems in New York and across the country.  Numerous scientific studies make it clear that TCE has the potential to cause cancer, damage the nervous and immune systems, and cause developmental effects in children. Unfortunately, the EPA has ignored the science rather than taking action.  As a result of EPA delays, communities across New York continue to be exposed to potentially toxic levels of TCE,” Senator Clinton said. “The 'TCE Reduction Act' will force the EPA to protect children and other vulnerable populations from TCE in the water they drink and the air they breathe.” Senator Clinton said.

"The government has failed the people of New York who face the threat of TCE contamination," Congressman Hinchey said. "This bill will help complement the legislation we recently passed in the House that directs additional funds to the EPA for the agency to expedite work on developing a revised and final TCE risk assessment as was recommended by the National Research Council. This will be one more weapon in our arsenal to get the federal government to focus its attention and make progress on preventing human health threats posed by the pervasive TCE contamination in parts of New York and throughout the nation.  I look forward to working with Vice Chairwoman Solis to draft the House version of Senator Clinton's bill."

A draft EPA Risk Assessment in 2001 found TCE to be as much as 40 times more carcinogenic than previously thought, but rather than using EPA science to set a more protective standard for TCE in drinking water, the Bush administration called for more study.  The National Research Council (NRC) was directed to conduct an in depth study the health studies involving TCE.  Far from repudiating EPA's 2001 findings, the final NRC report, issued in 2006, found that "the evidence on carcinogenic risk and other health hazards from exposure to trichloroethylene has strengthened since 2001." The report went on to say, "The committee recommends that federal agencies finalize their risk assessment with currently available data so that risk management decisions can be made expeditiously."

Senator Clinton has previously pressed the EPA to set a standard based on the latest science, but the EPA has failed to act or set a timeline.  According to the EPA’s website, EPA does not plan to release a revised standard until the end of 2010.

The “TCE Reduction Act” would force EPA’s hand, requiring EPA to:

• Issue a revised health advisory for TCE within 6 months of enactment.

• Issue revised draft health standards for TCE in drinking water within 12 months of enactment, and final drinking water standards within 18 months.

• Issue a health advisory standard for TCE vapor intrusion within 12 months of enactment.

• Establish an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) reference concentration (RfC) of TCE vapor within 18 months of enactment.

• Ensure that all standards set under the bill fully protect susceptible populations (including pregnant women, infants, and children) from the adverse health affects of TCE.

To download a list of many of the confirmed TCE sites in New York, go to - http://clinton.senate.gov/documents/news/NPL.pdf