Well known environmental lawyer... 'up to bat' for Richmond before MOE

A veteran environmental lawyer plans to appeal directly to the Ontario Environment minister to stop the Richmond pipeline, a project he says has short-circuited the environmental-study process and circumvented the law.

"I’m certainly saying non-compliance with the (environmental assessment) requirements that I think are applicable …so, I guess that’s true: it would be instances of illegality," Rod Northey told CJOH-TV before turning his attention to the 50 hardy souls who braved the freezing rain to hear him speak at the Richmond Legion.

Northey has been retained by the Richmond Village Association to lobby on their behalf, bypassing the city to go directly to Queen’s Park.

It doesn’t help that no one seems sure how the project came to be. Northey admitted that, based on the partial paper trail he had gathered, he was

City's failure to act in the public interest seen as clear “breach of trust”

By OttawaSewergateFiasco.com

Richmond residents, and a few other interested parties from further a field, braved treacherous driving conditions, Tuesday, December 7th, (Notice of Meeting) to hear straight talk from an expert on the Environmental Assessment Act, lawyer Rod Northey (from the Toronto/Ottawa firm of Birchall Northey), stating that... not only was the Munster Environmental Assessment very improperly conducted, but that there have been “instances of illegality”, as well.

Residents asked many intelligent and specific questions of Mr. Northey. The answers to many of these questions may be viewed in the shaded Q&A box, below.

Other residents voiced their concerns and profound distrust of the city’s pressure sewer line 'agenda', threatening their vulnerable aquifer. They are convinced that this outcome will be worse than the Walkerton scandal if the the pipeline is not put on hold by MOE ---until a proper investigation of the EA irregularities is conducted by the Minister, to expose the facts that the EA process was improperly conducted, and that MOE approvals were inappropriately gained by the city providing false information to MOE.

An honest Environmental Assessment would have clearly demonstrated that a sewage forcemain through Richmond's shallow potable water supply would pose an unacceptable level of constant risk to the health of residents, and create a level of public endangerment that is totally inappropriate, especially in light of there being a 100% safe alternative --an on-site treatment plant--- available for Munster, at much lower cost to taxpayers.

Munster area resident, Richard Bendall, put it bluntly, "It’s all about accountability, and we’ve learned that there are councillors who admit to being led into making the wrong decision on this, because they were not informed about all of the Richmond/Glen Cairn forcemain breaks, or on many other facts. We also know that there were a lot of mis-facts, misrepresentations, given from the city to MOE.

If the MOE does not ultimately see this our way, it is going to be wearing the responsibility for this problem, just as much as the city is."

He added, "Let’s keep things in perspective ---and do what has to be done--- in order to protect and provide safe drinking water in our communities. What’s another --mere-- $4-million, (on top of the already-wasted $30-million), to ensure that a safe on-site treatment solution keeps 100% of  Munster’s sewage out of Richmond’s drinking water?"

One has to wonder, "What is the value of a child's life these days?" ---to our ward Councillor?
---to our Mayor? ---to our Chief Medical Officer of Health ? ---to our Provincial Environment Minister?

By surveying the worried faces at the meeting on Tuesday, it was apparent that concerned Richmond residents are all anxiously wondering: "Who will be first public official with enough backbone, to take the proper action to prevent loss of life, in this matter?"

So far, NONE of the, above, public officials have shown any interest!

One meeting attendee asked, "Who benefits from the decision to go with the pipeline, anyway?" Another resident in the audience emphatically replied, "Follow the money!"

Doug Arnold, is one of several Richmond and area residents who have begun doing just that, by asking probing questions in a variety of jurisdictional arenas, beginning with the city bureaucrats and politicians, themselves. (Eg.: See #4, of Letter to Councillor, Janet Stavinga.) Some disquieting links and patterns are starting to emerge ---none of which have anything to do with serving the public interest: (i.e.: protecting health, helping the environment, or saving tax dollars.)

OTHER GUESTS

A strong advocate for rural Ontario, MPP John Baird ---in session at Queen's Park and unable to attend--- was represented by his Executive Assistant, Chris Froggatt.

Former Ottawa councillor, Brian McGarry, who, many times, has expressed his support for Richmond resident's battle to protect their drinking water source from the city-caused threat, was also present at the meeting. He noted, in a conversation with residents afterwards, that no community should have to "fight" to protect their own health from such bureaucratic and political incompetence. He also noted that, "It seems strange how the current mayor, after eight years of neglecting rural businesses and rural citizens of the city, has suddenly discovered they exist ---yet, has done nothing to resolve the looming water-pollution catastrophe in Richmond".

Representatives of the South Nepean communities of Hearts Desire and Stonebridge, as well as member-representatives of the Friends of the Jock River, the City of Ottawa Environmental Advisory Committee, and the Trail Road Leachate- Public Liaison Committee were also present to lend their moral support for the Richmond Village cause.

Conversations continued long after the meeting was adjourned.