(08/04/06) RINGWOOD ? It took years to get cleanup operations moving at a former toxic waste site in Ringwood, but a small animal has stepped in and halted the process.

Officials say bats, which could be endangered Indiana bats, were discovered at the former Ford site. According to officials, cleanup operations must be stopped until the exact type of bat can be determined. Residents in surrounding areas say they can?t believe their health is being put at risk over a type of animal. The halt in cleanup operations has many wondering if the bats are more important to state leaders than local residents.

Many people living in areas near the site are of Ramapough descent. Members of that community say they?ve been stepped on for decades, and this latest incident is the most recent in a long line of injustices. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the Ringwood site ?hazardous to human health.? Wildlife services officials say they should be able to identify the exact type of bat at the site by mid-August.

Related information: Ringwood residents blast Ford Superfund Site cleanup Ringwood residents claim Superfund site is making them sick