From  Jane Clark -- if this amendment doesn't pass, we'll take a giant step
backwards.  Debate on the Farm Bill begins today.  Please call your
Representative.

WATER/HABITAT PRESERVATION
Urgent:  House vote today! Tell your representative to vote YES on an
important farm bill amendment

== Contact information ==
You can reach your representative's office by calling the Capitol
Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

This week the House of Representatives is considering H.R. 2646, the
Farm Security Act of 2001. During the floor debate (which is scheduled
to occur *today*), Reps. Boehlert (R-NY), Kind (D-WI), Gilchrest
(R-MD) and Dingell (D-MI) will offer an amendment that would help
farmers protect water quality, conserve our nation's critical natural
resources, and conserve prime farmland as well as wetlands, forests,
grasslands and other wildlife habitat.

== What to do ==
Call your representative **today** (the Capitol Switchboard number is
202-224-3121) and urge him or her to vote "Yes" on the
Boehlert/Kind/Gilchrest/Dingell amendment to H.R. 2646 when it is
offered on the floor. If you wish to offer specific points in support
of your position, tell the person taking your call that the amendment
makes both economic and environmental sense because it would:

** use conservation and technical assistance to reduce long-term water
treatment and dredging costs, protect wildlife, preserve farmland and
open space, enhance urban forests and greenspace, enhance public
health, and protect and enhance privately owned forests;

** continue excluding large livestock farms from receiving funding to
construct massive waste lagoons that harm water quality and threaten
human health (the committee-passed bill would require taxpayers to
subsidize the construction of new cesspools); and

** help communities curb suburban sprawl by protecting threatened
farmland by compensating farm owners to continue farming instead of
selling their property to developers.

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