Washington, Jun 2 -  

Congressman Scott Garrett will be joined by representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on June 5th at his monthly Mobile Constituent Hours at Ringwood Borough Hall, 60 Margaret King Avenue. Pat Seppi, Community Involvement Coordinator, and Pat Carr, EPA Intergovernmental Liaison for New Jersey, will be available to answer any questions residents have about the on-going clean-up of the Ringwood toxic dumpsite.

"I am pleased that the EPA will be able to attend my Mobile Constituent Service Hours in Ringwood this month," said Garrett. "I want to give residents every opportunity to discuss, face-to-face, their concerns and specific problems relating to the Ringwood Superfund site. With so much change in this situation over the past several months, residents need to have up-to-date information on what's happening with this clean-up."

In April, shortly after Congressman Garrett began holding monthly constituent service hours in Ringwood, the EPA officially took steps to put the Ringwood site, which was delisted by the Clinton Administration, back on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) - the first time a site could be returned to the list. In addition, Congressman Garrett brought representatives of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to Ringwood a month prior to their release of their public health assessment. Garrett has also hosted officials from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at his monthly sessions in Ringwood.

Garrett continued, "Close contact between a Representative and his constituents is the foundation of our democracy. These sessions give my staff and me the opportunity to hear from constituents all around the district with great frequency, and coming into the communities, we've made it more convenient for of those who are not easily able to come to me at one of my offices."

Congressman Garrett has provided Mobile Constituent Service hours in 28 municipalities, enabling him and his staff to meet with citizens and help them with difficulties they may be having with Federal agencies and programs. The Congressman's staff is trained to act as liaisons with the Federal government for Fifth District residents and will be at the Borough Hall on the first Monday of each month, barring last-minute scheduling difficulties. Residents are encouraged to attend and to bring any paperwork that might be helpful to the staff in understanding their specific cases.