By Dana Patterson

Metuchen, NJ –  The environmental nonprofit Edison Wetlands Association (EWA), Rutgers University, Wild New Jersey and Bayshore Recycling Corp will host the premiere screening of NJN’s hour-long documentary, “Rescuing a River: The Raritan” on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 6:45 PM at the Metuchen Forum Theater, located at 314 Main Street, Metuchen, New Jersey 08840.
 
A dramatic reading and book signing for the popular new book, “Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State” by author David Wheeler and special guests will precede the screening, while a Question & Answer session with NJN film producer Eric Schultz and EWA Executive Director Robert Spiegel will directly follow the film screening. The film, likely NJN's last as a film studio, and is part of an incredible trend of renewed focus on the Raritan River.

This documentary film, narrated by actor Avery Brooks, traces the incredible transformation of the Raritan River – the longest river solely in New Jersey - from a toxic witches' brew into a wildlife sanctuary beloved to fishermen, crabbers, and boaters.  This incredible documentary will show the importance of the Raritan River – New Jersey's Queen of Rivers.  Where once smokestacks lined the shores, spewing poisonous clouds into the sky, now bald eagles, peregrine falcons and ospreys soar above. 

It reveals how government agencies, powerful corporations, environmentalists, developers, scientists, and lawyers have all clashed in their attempts to deal with the aftermath of extensive pollution and environmental neglect. Rescuing the River” takes viewers on a boat trip down the lower ten miles of the Raritan and gives them a close and unflinching look at four notorious toxic sites to see how our rivers became so abused and why it has been so vexingly difficult to fix the problem.

First stop is the infamous Kin Buc Landfill in Edison; next, the Horseshoe Road site, a Superfund success story.  The former National Lead paint factory in Sayreville, about to become one America's largest brownfield developments, is the third. The trip ends at a brand new Superfund site in Laurence Harbor, a place contaminated with extremely high levels of lead.  On the way, the film also takes an in-depth look at the National Lead Company, the potentially responsible party for contamination on two of the sites we visit.

Doors will open at 6 PM, and the show will start at 6:45 PM.  Seats are limited, so please reserve your ticket by contacting EWA at 732-321-1300 or via email at EWAinfo@edisonwetlands.org.

WHAT:  Premiere screening of NJN’s “Rescuing a River: The Raritan”
WHEN: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 6:45 pm.  Doors open at 6 pm.
WHERE: Metuchen Forum Theater, 314 Main Street, Metuchen
RSVP:  Seats are limited.  Contact EWA at 732-321-1300 or via email at ewainfo@edisonwetlands.org to reserve your ticket.

Rescuing The River:  The Raritan - Promo 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ICNV71xvU
 
Rescuing The River:  The Raritan - Promo 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usOUbx6C6nk