I think this vote is expected today, Thursday. Jane Clark TONGASS VOTE EXPECTED TODAY! Here's how you can help! CALL your Senators (202-224-3121) and ask them to SUPPORT SENATOR BARBARA BOXER's AMENDMENT TO PROTECT THE TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST. If you're from California, call to THANK SENATOR BOXER FOR HER LEADERSHIP TO PROTECT THE TONGASS! Or send a fax directly from the Alaska Rainforest Campaign website: http://www.akrain.org/action/faxes/actionpage.asp UPDATE Thanks to your efforts, we are one step closer to defeating the Tongass Anti-Wilderness rider that is buried deep in the pages of the sweeping in the budget bill. Senator Barbara Boxer (CA) is leading the way in the Senate! She will offer the amendment to strike the Tongass Anti-Wilderness language from the bill. Now is the time to keep up a steady drumbeat of calls, faxes and emails in favor of protecting the Tongass. The Alaska delegation in the Senate and their anti-wilderness supporters won't stop their backdoor attempts. And neither will we! We've got the momentum going in our favor - let's keep it that way. The Tongass Anti-Wilderness rider is a short sentence inserted by Alaska Senator Ted Stevens provides that a nine million acre wilderness review underway for the Tongass may NOT be subject to further Forest Service public appeal process or any judicial review by any court in the United States. The Forest Service had been scheduled to release its decision on whether to recommend wilderness in the Alaska Forest in late February. After their draft review recommended no new wilderness areas, Alaskans and the American public were outraged and in record numbers asked the Forest Service that valuable areas be protected. The Tongass Wilderness review comments represent one of the largest outpourings of public response to protect any single forest in the nation. Almost 100 percent of the comments asked the Forest Service to designate more wilderness in the Tongass. SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE: "Hello, I'm a constituent from your state and I oppose the backdoor attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence the public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge you to support Senator Boxer's amendment to protect the Tongass National Forest." SAMPLE EMAIL OR FAX MESSAGE: Dear Senator, I'm a constituent from your state and I oppose the backdoor attempt which threatens America's Rainforest and seeks to silence the public's overwhelming support for the Tongass National Forest. I urge you to support Senator Boxer's amendment to protect the Tongass National Forest. Senator Boxer's amendment seeks to strike a Tongass Anti-Wilderness rider which would prohibit any further Forest Service public appeal process or any judicial review by any court in the United States. The Forest Service had been scheduled to release its decision on whether to recommend wilderness in the Alaska Forest in late February. After their draft review recommended no new wilderness areas, Alaskans and the American public were outraged and in record numbers asked the Forest Service asking that valuable areas be protected. The comments represent one of the largest outpourings of public response to protect any single forest in the nation. The Tongass National Forest, stretching 500 miles along the southeastern coast of Alaska, is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. It is also the last expanse of old growth rainforest in the United States. Please don't let a backdoor rider silence America's support for this national treasure. Thank you. Sincerely, NAME and full address *** For more information please contact Laurie Cooper, Alaska Coalition Forest Outreach Director ([log in to unmask]) or call (202) 544-0475. Laurie Cooper Forest Outreach Director Alaska Coalition 122 C Street, NW - Suite 240 Washington, DC 20001 (202)544-0475, Fax: (202)544-5197 Visit us on the web www.alaskacoalition.org! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp