[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="504" caption="Bettsy Prophonic of NYS DOH at Public Health Assessment hearing on Ravena's Lafarge cement plant. Photo by Sam Sebren."][/caption]
WGXC volunteer Sam Sebren recorded audio and took photos at Thursday night's NYS Department of Health (DOH) Public Health Assessment meeting at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School. From Sebren:

"Members of the community clearly expressed frustration and anger at the NYS DOH Public Assessment Hearing, Dec. 9 at the RCS High School in Ravena. After years of requests, there is still no clear data about the contaminants being produced and dispersed by the Lafarge cement factory in Ravena. Ward Stone, retired NYS Wildlife Pathologist minced no words and said, "We need to take care of the environment. Because we're all dependent on it and it's falling apart." This hearing was a chance for people to comment and ask questions. People can still make comments to the DOH until Feb 15."

To listen to the mp3 audio recording of the meeting, click here, or copy and paste the following url into your computer's media player:
http://data.wavefarm.org/2010/12/RavenaDOHhearing_WGXC_12090.mp3
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Jan Storm of NYS DOH leads DOH hearing on Lafarge Ravena cement plant. Photo by Sam Sebren."][/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="210" caption="Susan Falzon of Friends of Hudson speaking at the Lafarge DOH hearing in Ravena. Photo by Sam Sebren."][/caption]
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="504" caption="Slide asking audience for questions at DOH Health Assessment meeting about Lafarge cement plant. Photo by Sam Sebren."][/caption]