GOAL:    60 U.S. Senators must say “YES” to pass the RESTORE Act (S. 1400) to send 80% of the Clean Water Act fines back to the Gulf for restoration

TIMING:    We need the bill to come to a full Senate vote early in the 2012 session or it may lose our chance to bring this critical funding back to the Gulf Coast. It was favorably reported out of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on a bipartisan vote on September 21.  We need your help NOW.

TASK:      Contact reliable, dependable family and friends who live in Non-Gulf Coast states to fax and/or phone their two US senators.  Ask for the staffer on environmental or governmental affairs and urge the senator to support the RESTORE Act.

MESSAGE:    Emphasize why the RESTORE Act is important to them and to America.

•    The Gulf Coast provides energy independence (nearly half of the U.S. domestic energy supply comes from the Gulf), commerce, ecotourism, and national security to the entire nation.  More than two-thirds of the nation’s shrimp and oysters
come from the Gulf.  Gulf Restoration is critical for the region and for the nation.

•    If most of the fine dollars are not designated to environmental and economic recovery of the Gulf Coast, they will disappear into the federal budget.  Applying BP fine dollars to Gulf restoration will create thousands of jobs and make the area more resilient to future disasters.

•    When a disaster of this magnitude strikes, the entire nation must support the affected area. The next disaster could be in that Senator’s state; we would want citizens of that state to get fair and reasonable support.  

MODEL:    “Senator (NAME), I support the RESTORE Act because I know the importance of the Gulf Coast to (Senator’s State), the United States and around the world.  I hope you will support it too.”  Then add a version of the message points above.

Thank you so much for your help.  We are grateful to have your support and are
hopeful that we can work together to bring restoration funding to the Gulf in 2012.