----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Bill Smith <[log in to unmask]




----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Bill Smith <[log in to unmask]>
To: IA-BIRD <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Mon, June 20, 2011 12:38:12 AM
Subject: [ia-bird] Your Help Is Needed to Save & Restore our Mo. River

Today I sent out a letter in response to Iowa's SIMRA members who have
been broached by a Mo. DNR delegate to form a southern basin state
coalition more or less that aligns our state with the interest of that of
Mo. The whole purpose of this based on my opinion from what I have seen
and what I have heard with my own ears is this.

The future of navigation on the Mo. River and how the river is managed for
navigation is on some very shaky ground. Mo. knows this. The only way to
sure up it's navigational interests is to convince other states in the
basin to align itself with Mo. Interest.

Anyway this delegate from Mo. DNR came over and did a little bit of smooth
talking and had convinced some of Iowa's SIMRA members that aligning with
Mo. on the river management would be in their best interest. What that
means is Iowa would withdrawal from it's membership to MORAST and become
nothing more than what Mo. has been in the battle to address the Mo. River
issues. A wrench in the spokes if you will. As long as your a basin state
you have to be included in the Big picture, but if you feel that your not
getting what it is you want you vote no on everything under the sun until
you get your way or halt restoration and recovery of the Mo. River itself.
Our resources deserve more than this and we need to step up on behalf of
our Natural Resources and future conservation efforts to restore the great
River.

Well anyway getting to the nuts and bolts of this letter is simple. If
Iowa SIMRA members convince our Governor to align with Mo and withdrawal
from MORAST we as a state will loose millions of mitigation dollars. These
dollars are extremely vital in addressing flood issues and in our case
this year and in the future these mitigation dollars will be vital to our
ability as a state and as constituents of the valley to mitigate future
flooding issues.

I ask you to contact your Representative and Senator in DM and tell them
to keep Iowa as a member of MORAST so that we can obtain those vital
mitigation dollars to combat future flooding and help our natural
resources. More importantly request that a Member of the IDNR Fish &
Wildlife be appointed to SIMRA & MORAST if anything else.

Then please send a letter to the Governor ,tell him to keep Iowa as a
member of MORAST & appoint a IDNR Fish & Wildlife personal to represent
our states Natural Resource interest along the Mo. River. This will ensure
that investment dollars will be applied to the Mo. River that will restore
many habitats that have been lost or in intense degradation from 67 years
of destruction.

Folks I cannot stress enough the importance of this message. We cannot
allow our future as conservationist & naturalist to be flushed down the
toilet because Mo. wishes to gain leverage to support its navigational
interest. Pure and simple. I hope that you take the time and compose your
letter to your reps and to the Governor sending them a very powerful but
clear message.

Again I thank you all for your time and your support over the years in
these vital issues.
God Bless you & Yours.

Bill Smith
712-253-0362 c
712-274-3343 h
[log in to unmask]

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