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Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton (D/WFP-125th AD) announced Monday that the governor had signed into law a bill she authored that would require the Department of Environmental Conservation to notify property owners within 30 days of the results of certain environmental testing. The bill was prompted by TCE contamination of Ithaca’s South Hill by the former Morse Chain, now Emerson Power Transmission, and residents’ subsequent fears for their own health and safety. George Winner sponsored the bill in the State Senate.

Such environmental testing has become more common, as contamination of indoor air by volatile chemicals that seep or vaporize from contaminated soil or groundwater enters homes and businesses and threatens public health.

Lifton remarked, “I’m very happy to learn that the governor saw that it’s the right thing to do—to get test results to people quickly, within 30 days of having their homes tested.

“TCE is a known carcinogen,” Lifton continued, “so naturally, people are very anxious to know whether they or their children are being exposed to this substance. Many families in our area have waited 10 to 12 weeks to get results—an intolerable length of time. This new law should help to lessen their understandable anxiety and to prevent such unnecessary delay in the future.”

The new law (A10633, Chapter 707) amends Article 27 of the Environmental Conservation law.

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