The Richmond Village Association (RVA) is still resisting the completion
and commissioning of the Munster sewer forcemain through our water source.
In March a delegation met with Minister of the Environment staff in
Toronto, making them fully aware of the problem and our perspective on it.
In early June, the minister's policy advisor and another member of her
staff came to Richmond to meet with us again in order to obtain an update
and to give some direction to the local MoE staff. John Baird, MPP for our
riding, was in attendance along with a member of his staff.

Between these two meetings the RVA engaged an environmental lawyer 
to assess our situation and propose a course of action. At about the same
time a legal action fund raising drive was kicked off at a meeting held at
the Richmond Legion.

Our lawyer advised that a solid, meticulously researched assessment be done
to support a case to be put to the Ontario Environment Minister demonstrating
that the City of Ottawa contravened the Environmental Assessment
Act and contrived to mislead the ministry in order to be granted 
permission to proceed with the project. He has done approximately $7000
worth of work and expects, with the review of two more major documents, to
ready for a formal meeting with Minister Dombrowsky. His intent is to
pursuade her to shoulder her responsibility and exercise her power as a
Minister of the Crown to stop this ill-advised project in the interest of
preserving the health and safety of Richmond and rural residents.

To complete the work leading to and including the meeting with the minister
requires that the RVA continue its fundraising toward its next milestone, a
further $3000, before the end of August if possible. The RVA board of
directors is a small group. If we are to meet our goals we need your help.
If you have already donated, please consider just a little more. If you have yet
to donate - consider the importance of this issue (at some not so future
point it could be a matter of life and death) and if you believe in our
cause, please do what you can.

Finally, our email list is only so long and we at the vanguard of this
defensive action are just a handfull. Please forward this email to friends
and neighbors, or print it and deliver copies to those without computers
and email.

We can win, but we have to work at it, and we need your help.