Congressman Chris Smith (R-Hamilton) will host a meeting on Monday where area residents and emergency responders will be able to speak with federal and state pipeline safety officials to address concerns they have about a 7.5 mile natural gas pipeline being constructed through the Groveville Section of the township.

    Smith will host the meeting, with officials from the Federal Office of Pipeline Safety and state Board of Public Utilities, on Monday, October 27, at 11 a.m.  The session, which is open to the general public, will be held at the Groveville Fire Co, located on Crosswicks Hamilton Square Road.

    “I have asked federal and state pipeline safety officials to outline the safety standards as well as the community right-to-know provisions that are in place to safeguard and inform local residents as this project proceeds,” Smith said.

    “It is clear that residents of the area where the pipeline is being constructed have many questions that deserve to be answered.  To know is to reassure, and the goal of the meeting is to provide a forum at which residents can ask questions and get answers about the implementation of safety standards and community right-to-know guidelines as they relate to this project,” Smith added. 

    Specifically invited to the meeting are each of the fire chiefs from the companies in the response zone, as well as representatives of Hamilton’s hazardous materials unit, who also responded to Tuesday night’s alarm.

    “In addition to the fear and confusion, the recent incident put the general public at risk as emergency responders from a half-dozen area fire departments were called to the scene.  Had another emergency, like a fire or car accident occurred at the same time, response time could have been significantly extended to the detriment of others,” Smith added.