A bill proposed on March 3 by U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey would aim to control TCE pollution in cities like nearby Endicott, where levels of the chemical are alarmingly high.

Hinchey and Clinton’s legislation, the Toxic Chemical Exposure Reduction Act, proposes that the Environmental Protection Agency quickly develop health safety standards that would improve the government’s ability to protect public health from trichloroethylene (TCE). The EPA has currently defined safe levels of TCE as 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

If the bill is passed, more federal funds and attention would be allocated to clean-up efforts in affected cities. The bill also calls for the notification of all affected residents about the dangers of TCE, a recognized and prevalent carcinogen.

The high concentration of TCE in Endicott was discovered in 2003 while scientists were investigating the IBM plant on North Street.

“IBM had used TCE quite prolifically from the mid-1960s through the 1990s,” said Rick White, co-chair for the Health and Safety Committee of the IBM Employees’ Union.

IBM released more than 100,000 gallons of TCE and similar chemicals into the soil and air surrounding the Endicott plant. This pollution spread over 300 acres, contaminating the properties of 500 homes and businesses in the area, White said. Scientists have found levels of TCE in Endicott to be as high as 800,000 micrograms per cubic meter, White said.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, TCE is a colorless liquid that is not found naturally in the environment. When accidentally released, it turns into a vapor and can remain in the air and soil for decades.

The extreme levels of TCE in Endicott have been especially alarming to those IBM employees who have lived and worked in the area for decades.

“It’s a triple whammy. These employees were exposed to TCE at work every day, in their drinking water at home and through the soil under their houses,” White said.

According to the ATSDR, continuous exposure to high levels of TCE increases the chances of developing liver, kidney and lung cancers. Surveys of IBM employees organized by the IBM Employees’ Union have proved that cancer and heart problems in exposed employees are three times higher than normal.

The national government has rejected past efforts to reform TCE safety guidelines because of the significant amount of money it would cost.

“TCE has also posed a huge problem on military bases, so fixing it would cost the government billions,” said Bruce Oldfield, a professor of geology at Broome Community College and local environmental activist.

“The New York state standards are out of whack,” Oldfield said.

Oldfield also emphasized that while most permanent community members seem to acknowledge the local TCE situation, many students residing off campus are probably unaware.

“Binghamton University and BCC students are isolated from the rest of the community. The affected houses are usually the cheapest, and students don’t know to stay away from them,” Oldfield said.

Although areas surrounding the University have been affected by TCE, the campus water supply remains unaffected, said Connie E. Corey, associate director of the Environmental Health and Safety Department. Campus water comes from both the town of Vestal and City of Binghamton, who are responsible for regular testing of the water for contaminants.