A documentary Film and Discussion: Rescuing the Reritan River

Springfield: On Monday, May 21, at 7:00 P.M., the
Springfield Free Public Library will present a program that explores the river
and what it all means.

            The Raritan
River runs through the center of New Jersey, with upper reaches that are
incredibly beautiful, providing a valuable source of water for more than a
million people. This beautiful but troubled waterway is in the heart of one of
the most densely populated and developed regions in the nation where industry
took hold early on and left its mark.

            A film by
Eric Schultz and narrated by Avery Brook will be shown, focusing on the Lower
Raritan with its toxic industrial past, polluted present, and possibilities for
the future.  It examines the political
activism and legal action surrounding the cleanup of contaminated sites along
the river. While the story told here is specific to the Raritan, much of what
is shown speaks to the problems of industrialized rivers throughout the nation.  An introduction and post-film discussion will
be led by Michael Chiarappa, Associate Professor of History at Quinnipiac
University. 

The program is free and open to
all. It is made possible by the
New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National
Endowment for the Humanities.  Any views,
findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not
necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.

 The Springfield Free Public Library is located
at 66 Mountain Avenue, Springfield. For additional information, call
973-376-4930.