Newly elected U.S. Rep. Patrick Ryan (D-N.Y.) told district residents that two of his legislative priorities are environment and veteran issues at a Beacon town hall on Feb. 2. 
Ryan represents New York’s 18th District, which includes all of Orange County, the bulk of Dutchess County, and a southern portion of Ulster County. 
He said he was interested in bills or projects that combine job creation with environmental protection, citing the recent expansion of Canadian battery manufacturer Zinc8 in Ulster County. 
The manufacturer just chose the county to build its U.S. headquarters, promising 500 new jobs. 
Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), speaks to reporters at the National Purple Heart Museum in New Windsor, N.Y., on Nov. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
Ryan was appointed in late January to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, with a seat on its water subcommittee, which he said he had fought to get on. …