Bluestem Action Alert

September 20, 2007

Ask your Congressman to cosponsor HR 2421:

The Clean Water Restoration Act

September 26th is National Clean Water Phone Congress Day!

The U.S. House of Representatives is poised to act this fall on what could be the most important clean water legislation in 35 years: The Clean Water Restoration Act (H.R. 2421).

This bipartisan bill is needed now to ensure that all of the nation's streams, headwater tributaries, wetlands and other waters remain protected from pollution by the federal Clean Water Act. It will reaffirm that the Clean Water Act was intended to protect all of the waters of the United States, from big rivers to small streams, and from the Great Lakes to remote wetlands. Passage of this historic legislation will ensure that Sierra Club will be able to continue to promote strong environmental protection of Illinois streams, wetlands and other waterways.

What can you do? On Wednesday, September 26th, the Clean Water Network, a national coalition of clean water organizations from across the country, is sponsoring a National Clean Water Call-In Day to Members of Congress.

To make the Clean Water Restoration Act a reality:

Please call the offices of your U.S. Representatives in Washington DC anytime between 8 am- 5 pm Central Time on September 26th, to ask for support of the Clean Water Restoration Act.

If you cannot make the call during that time, make it when you can. Be sure to leave your name and address so they know you are a constituent.

How to Make the Call:

Call your Representative's Washington, D.C. office. If you do not know the phone number you can call 202-224-3121 for Capitol Information and ask for your Representative's office.

If you need help identifying your U.S. Representative, contact http://www.ilga.gov/ and click on “Legislator Look Up” at the lower right.

Once connected, you can ask to speak to your representative directly. IF you cannot speak to your Representative, or would rather speak with staff, ask to speak to the staff person who handles environmental issues. If that person is unavailable, then ask to speak to another staffer who works on policy or constituent issues. Be sure to leave a message(s) if you cannot reach a staffer in person.

The message is simple: Here is what you can say - Please support the Clean Water Restoration Act (H.R. 2421) NOW. The Clean Water Restoration Act will provide environmental protection for ALL of our nation's waters. The Act will ensure protection of waterways in all of the communities in Illinois. The House needs to pass this bill ASAP.

If your Representative is not a co-sponsor already please encourage them to become one.

If your Representative is already a co-sponsor, please thank them and ask them to use their influence to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote by, for example, requesting that they speak to their House colleagues about supporting the bill.

To see current cosponsors, go to

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR02421:@@@P

Let Us Know How the Calls Go

Thank you very much for participating in national Clean Water Call-In to Congress Lobby Day.

We would appreciate hearing about your telephone conversations with Members of Congress and staffers. You can send any and all reports to forto@aol.com . The information you send will be used to help pass the bill.

Thank you.

Lonnie Morris