Work on cleaning Albert Lea&8217;s old dump &8212; presently within the soils of North Edgewater Park &8212; cannot begin until the full funding is secured. The city needs an additional $2.5 million in this legislative session&8217;s capital investment bill so it can move ahead with the project.

Cleaning North Edgewater Park is critical for our local waters. We&8217;ve already waited too long and it is time to get to work.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the capital investment bill on Tuesday and called for a smaller package. That means some items are going to be left out.

The bill now goes back to a Senate-House conference committee. Our representatives in St. Paul assure us the cleanup money will make it into the reduced version on the bill.

It will land again on Pawlenty&8217;s desk, but Pawlenty has the power of line-item veto, which means he could hack some projects out. He has heard from our representatives on the cleanup money, but, as with any politician, the message really sinks in when he hears from his constituents.

So, Albert Lea and anyone within the Shell Rock River watershed, now is the time to tell him what you think.

And you need to do it soon because it is unknown just what speed this process will take. It could all happen Friday. It could drag out through next week.

So act fast.

Here&8217;s what to write. Be quick and to the point:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty:

Albert Lea&8217;s former landfill was never properly sealed when it closed in 1972. Vinyl chloride and other metals have begun to seep into our watershed.

There is a $2.5 million line item in the capital investment bill that will allow our fair city to begin cleaning up the site. Everyone in Albert Lea and the Shell Rock River watershed dearly hopes you will approve this funding. Waiting will only result in increased pollution and increased costs, neither of which are in the best interests of the state of Minnesota.

We know you&8217;ll come through.

Thank you.

Sign it, make sure your address is somewhere on the letter (it increases credibility) and send it via e-mail to tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us. Or via postal mail to Office of the Governor, 130 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.