LAST CHANCE TO SAVE MIDHURST! After a year-long review, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) has raised a lot of concerns regarding the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the MSP. They point to superficial and missing studies re water supply, sewage treatment effects, air quality and road capacity. Yet, they suggest these issues could wait for the required investigation until AFTER the EA is approved, when water-taking permit applications and sewage plant design will occur. Pushed by the township’s consultant engineer [who is paid by the developers] and advised that refusal or even delay might mean developer lawsuits, Council is prepared to give in. With Notice of Completion scheduled for June 19th,, Council is moving too fast for meaningful public input and sober reflection. AND if those in-depth studies and investigations wait until AFTER EA approval, IT WILL BE TOO LATE! WHY? Council, who promised to protect our interests and respect our wishes, won’t be the boss any more – reduced to participant status at best. The Province aided by developer consultants’ data will decide. Do you think that will be objective, evidence-based science with your best interests in mind? The public will have NO say. In fact, you won’t even KNOW what’s going on!! Another backroom process, just like the Special Rule which got us into this mess. Midhurst residents could be forced to hook up to municipal sewage to make the treatment plant affordable and to meet the “no-extra phosphorus” requirement. Already, the consultant engineer has suggested this. The cost to each household could be $50,000!! WHAT CAN WE DO?? MRA intends to appeal Council’s decision by mounting a vigorous challenge to the claims made in the developers’ final report (ESR) to MOECC. The law provides 30 days for citizens to voice their concerns about the EA to MOECC. Currently, that’s June 19th – July 19th. Yet, we won’t even get to see that final report until June 19th. . How fair is that? MOECC will review our “bump-up request” to determine whether to order Council to conduct more studies OR to demand a more rigorous customised (vs. the current generic) EA OR to deny our request. This is our LAST CHANCE to save our beautiful village, its prime farmland and water resources from irrevocable harm. PLEASE DON’T WAIT TO Send the enclosed letter to Council NOW. Tell them this is not acceptable! Send a letter at: www.friendsofmidhurst.ca/send-a-letter-to-council/ Support our efforts on your behalf by DONATING to the MRA - visit our website www.friendsofmidhurst.ca OR www.archconserv.ca if you want a charitable receipt. For ACO donations – Be sure to mention SAVE MIDHURST so that we receive your gift. We are still fighting to SAVE MIDHURST for current residents and generations to come. We need your support NOW. Many thanks, Sandy Buxton, MRA President