Please consider making three phone calls.

For your first phone call, please call the Governor of Illinois, George Ryan, and ask him to work with the state legislature to enact bills that will keep hog waste out of Illinois' rivers, lakes, and streams.

For your second phone call, please call your Illinois State Representative and ask him or her to do two things. Ask your Illinois State Representative to oppose HB 288 and to support legislation that will keep hog waste out of Illinois' rivers, lakes, and streams.

For your third phone call, please call your Illinois State Senator and ask him or her to do two things. Ask your Illinois State Senator to oppose Senate Bill 71 and to support legislation that will keep hog waste out of Illinois' rivers, lakes, and streams.

You can reach your Illinois State Representative and your Illinois State Senator's office by calling the Springfield switchboard at 217-782-2000 and then asking to speak to your state legislator by his or her name. You can call Illlinois Governor George Ryan's toll-free comment line at 1-800-642-3112.

For information on how to make a local phone call to your Illinois State Represe ntative and Illinois State Senator, please see the River Prairie Group web page that covers political contacts.

This spring is the critical period for toughening Illinois' lax regulations on factory hog facilities, which threaten to leak or spill large amounts of manure into our waterways. However, hog corporations are pushing legislation that would not provide adequate protection, and in some areas weaken existing laws. We need Illinois legislators to oppose these industry bills, and to support strong controls. We also need Governor Ryan to fulfill his campaign promise and demand action from the General Assembly. Call your State Representative and ask him or her to oppose HB 288. Call your State Senator, and ask him or her to oppose Senate Bill 71. Urge your Illinois State Representative, your Illinois State Senator, and Illinois Governor George Ryan to support strong hog legislation which keeps hog factories out of areas where they will pollute the water and gives local communities a right to input when a hog factory is proposed. Ask all three elected officials to crack down on hog pollution.