Dear Members and Friends of Block Island Conservancy:
Recently Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel ruled in favor of a 3.08 acre expansion of Champlin’s Marina, reversing on appeal a Coastal Resources Management Council denial reached two years ago on a 5-5 vote.  There have been several well written articles about the situation in the Block Island Times; links are located below.
The battle over the Champlin’s Marina expansion has already been waged for six years but is clearly far from finished.  Judge Vogel’s decision has been appealed both in Superior Court and to the Supreme Court of Rhode Island by the Town of New Shoreham, the Conservation Law Foundation, and the Committee of the Great Salt Pond (CGSP).  Although each group has its own attorney, the attorneys are working together to achieve our common goal.
Over the past six years, Block Island Conservancy has made modest contributions from our stewardship fund to CGSP for the legal defense of the Pond.  The effort thus far has cost over $210,000 and the new round of appeals is likely to incur even larger legal expenses.  It is imperative that BIC now becomes a major contributor to this effort.
The latest round of fund raising is off to a good start.  In April CGSP held a fund raiser in New York City where many friends of Block Island live.  The first on-island fund raising event took place on May 2nd at the Narragansett Inn and featured a status update from the entire legal team; similar events will follow throughout the summer.  BIC will play an active role in these on-island events.
What can you do?  You can help by making a contribution to BIC for this cause.  These contributions will be kept in a separate interest bearing account and used solely to support the legal defense of the Pond.  We will not take money from our funds designated for the acquisition of open space. 
The Great Salt Pond belongs to all of us and is not for sale, nor should substantial portions of it be permitted to be taken for private, commercial purposes.  Please help us in this very important fight by sending a check payable to Block Island Conservancy Inc., or use a credit card by providing th information on the enclosed envelope.  We will keep you apprised on our Web site of the legal defense costs and the total contributions all parties have made as time goes on.
Thank you and best regards,
Stephen Record, President
for the Board of Directors

The early response to our appeal for funds for the legal defense of the Great Salt Pond has been extremely gratifying.  In the months since the letter went out, we have received more then 175 donations totaling well over $40,000.00, enough to make a very large dent in the cost of filing the appeal that the Rhode Island Supreme Court recently agreed to hear.  To all of you who have contributed so generously already, a heartfelt thank you from the BIC Board of Directors on behalf of ourselves and our partners in this appeal, the Committee for the Great Salt Pond and the Block Island Land Trust.

More funds will be needed throughout the summer as our attorneys prepare for the Supreme Court hearing in September.  If you have not already made a donation toward this effort but could possibly do so now, please be as generous as you can.  It is not an exaggeration to assert that the future of the Great Salt Pond, and of adjacent properties such as BIC's Bonnell Beach preserve, is hanging in the balance.  Thank you in advance for whatever support you can provide.