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Supporting Science and the Salmon Economy!
The National Marine Fisheries Service recently released a solid, science-driven plan to protect and restore imperiled salmon and other species in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin, a strong indication that the Obama Administration is headed in the right direction when it comes to protecting vital fisheries resources.
Last week however, Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA) attempted to insert language into an appropriations bill that would have zeroed out funding to implement this plan.
Fortunately, thanks in part to Congressman Timothy Johnson (R-IL), Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), this terrible amendment did not pass.
Act Now: Please send the message below to your congressperson expressing thanks for his vote against the Nunes Amendment, and for protecting sound science and the salmon economy.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Thank you for standing up for science and the salmon economy!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to thank you for voting no on Congressman Nunes' amendment to H.R. 2847, the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill for fiscal year 2010. This amendment would have prohibited NOAA Fisheries from implementing its plan to protect and restore imperiled salmon and other species in California's Central Valley.
By opposing this amendment, you voted to protect sound, peer-reviewed science and a vitally important plan to recover Pacific salmon and salmon-dependent communities. As you know, our nation?s efforts to protect imperiled species must be based on the best available science in order to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested wisely. Your vote on the Nunes Amendment will allow the implementation of just such an effort.
Families, communities, and businesses across the country have faced and will continue to face challenges related to salmon declines in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Basin; it's crucial that we reverse these declines quickly. I hope you will continue to support fishing communities and good science the next time you have an opportunity to cast a vote on natural resource policies guiding the recovery of our nation's treasured rivers and watersheds.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 22, 2009
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Wild Snake and Columbia River salmon and steelhead are at a crossroads today. Our nation faces a critical decision. We can "stay the course" - an approach that has failed both salmon and people - or chart a new path that helps both flourish.
Over the last two decades, the federal government has failed repeatedly to develop a lawful, science-based, and cost-effective plan to restore endangered salmon and steelhead to abundance. A lack of leadership from many elected officials has left our wild salmon and West Coast communities that rely on them high and dry.
Through its inaction, the government has allowed wild salmon to swim quietly toward extinction - devastating fishing communities across the West Coast in order to preserve four costly dams on the lower Snake River. Completed in the 1970s, these dams are primarily used for barge transportation. Immediately after completion, wild Snake River salmon and steelhead populations plummeted by as much as 90%. The best available science today demonstrates that dam removal should be at the heart of any effective recovery plan.
The impacts of the Northwest salmon crisis reach across the Pacific Coast economy, ecology and culture. Healthy salmon runs support the Northwest's unique way of life. A world-class fishery once fed the nation, generating billions of dollars in jobs and income for commercial, recreational and tribal fishing communities. But in a sharp reversal, endangered Snake River stocks now limit fishing opportunities, reducing the availability of healthy food, and impacting communities from California to Alaska and inland to Idaho and Nevada.
A changed political landscape - a new Administration and Congress - offers us a chance to bring people together to craft an effective plan that recovers endangered wild salmon, creates family-wage jobs, invests in fishing and farming communities, and encourages the development of a clean energy economy. Using the best scientific and economic information, President Obama and Congress have an opportunity to bring together fishing, farming, and energy interests to tackle the crisis in the Columbia Basin and restore wild Snake River salmon and steelhead to healthy, abundant levels.
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