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Please consider signing onto the attached letter to House and Senate budget committees supporting critical natural resource funding programs in FY11. Feel free to circulate to other lists, colleagues, and networks – it is important to get a broad list of supporters. Apologies for cross-posting.

Organizational sign on only – deadline is cob Monday, March 8. Send sign-on to patrick_dolan@tws.org

American Rivers ♦ Defenders of Wildlife ♦ National Audubon Society

National Parks Conservation Association ♦ Natural Resources Defense Council

The Wilderness Society

March X, 2010

The Honorable John Spratt                                            The Honorable Paul Ryan

Chairman, House Budget Committee                                Ranking Member, House Budget Committee

207 Cannon House Office Building                                    207 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515                                                         Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Spratt and Ranking Member Ryan:

We write on behalf of our millions of members and activist to urge you to support critical funding for our environmental conservation, clean energy and sustainability programs as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.  We urge that the House Budget Resolution include at least $37.5 billion in discretionary funding for Function 300 and at least $5.7 billion for Function 270 for Fiscal Year 2011. 

We recognize that these difficult economic times call for fiscal restraint and wise spending decisions; it is critical though to continue support of our nation’s core conservation, environmental, and clean energy programs.  These programs create jobs, transition us to a new clean energy economy, improve local communities, protect special places and wildlife, and provide a healthy environment with clean air and enough clean water for Americans in every state.  By providing the necessary funding to these programs we can maintain and improve the health and prosperity of our nation and its resources and help to lay the foundation for the United States to lead the world in green technologies.

Additionally, we support funding for livability initiatives within and between the Departments of Transportation (DOT), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as programs in the Departments of Commerce (DOC), Energy (DOE), and Interior (DOI) aimed at creating more environmentally and economically sustainable communities and promoting the innovation and deployment of clean energy.

Finally, we support the President’s proposal of eliminating wasteful spending that has supported high-polluting energy technologies and urge that these resources are instead used to support vital environmental and clean energy programs.

We strongly support these key initiatives as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget:

·        Projecting revenues obtained from reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.

·        Restoring the operations and maintenance capability of our natural resources and environment departments and agencies that have been decimated by years of budget shortfalls.

·        Increasing funding for DOE programs for the research, development, demonstration and deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grid, advanced vehicles, and other clean energy technologies. 

·        Investing in the Land and Water Conservation Fund, keeping that program on track towards full funding by 2014.

·        Restoring and increasing funding for ocean science, protection, management, and planning to prepare for increased economic activities in marine areas.

·        Continuing to provide funding for restoration of our nation’s ecosystems including the Everglades, Great Lakes, Coastal Louisiana, and Chesapeake Bay.

·        Funding the 2008 Farm Bill conservation programs at their authorized amounts.

·        Funding for DOT, HUD and EPA inter-agency initiatives that promote livable and sustainable communities and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

·        Increasing funding for high speed rail, public transit, and intermodal transportation.

·        Increasing funding to expedite the responsible deployment of renewable energy technologies on federal lands.

·        Reinstating the industrial and corporate Superfund taxes, which fund cleanup of our nation’s most hazardous waste sites.

We believe that the Federal Government must allocate its financial resources wisely and effectively, and we understand that there are difficult budgetary decisions for Congress in the months ahead.  We look forward to working with you and again urge you to provide at least $37.5 billion in discretionary funding for Function 300 and at least $5.7 billion for Function 270 for Fiscal Year 2011.  Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,