Dear Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway,

The Metro Greenways program, the Natural & Scenic Areas program, and Metro Parks help implement the regional greenways network, and all rely on state capital investment (bonding) to protect and restore priority lands. This is a critical period in the legislative session to contact your legislators (House and Senate) and a few key legislators (listed below).

As you may know, Eagan's Anderson project received $100K from the DNR's Metro Greenways Program and $350K from the DNR's Natural & Scenic Areas Program. In addition, an application to the Natural & Scenic Areas Program for the Caponi Art Park has recently been submitted, so these are critical programs that have and may continue to support local green space initiatives.

A sample letter is included below this message.

Please remember that these legislators are hearing from other people about other projects, and it is easy for them not to include funding for projects about which they hear from no one. YOUR CALL OR EMAIL IS AS CRITICAL AS ANY APPLICATION for funding. Please contact legislators before Easter or as soon as possible to make the greatest difference; both the House and Senate are likely to propose their capital investment budgets shortly after Easter, and members have been asked to submit their wish lists now. House members often prefer email because they can receive it on the House floor and respond immediately, and they are having long floor sessions this week. Many senators have web sites instead of email addresses, so if you are willing to enter your message on a web site, that is fine. If you have already sent a letter, please send a reminder; remember, they are hearing from other interests competing for limited funds.

Who to contact, by email or phone: (please blind-copy me on emails, if possible)

Please e-mail or call the following leadership on this bill.

Thank you! ---Jack Conrad

_______________________________________________

Senator Dean Johnson, Majority Leader 651-296-3826

Senator Dallas Sams, lead senate author, www.senate.mn/members/sendis11_email.htm

Senator and Senate Capital Investment Committee Chair, Keith Langseth, sen.keith.langseth@senate.mn (emails get printed for him to read; he does listen to non-constituents on state-wide issues like this)

Representative Erik Paulsen, Majority Leader (MN Valley area; one of the Local Initiative Grant bill authors as well; thank him for his past support), rep.erik.paulsen@house.mn

Representative Steve Sviggum, Speaker of the House, rep.steve.sviggum@house.mn

Representative and House Capital Investment Committee Member Gerlach, rep.chris.gerlach@house.mn (Apple Valley)

Representative and House Capital Investment Committee Member Hausman, rep.alice.hausman@house.mn (St. Paul)

Please include our own representatives (and include them on your cc: list in messages to the others):

Eagan Senator Mike McGinn, sen.mike.mcginn@senate.mn

Eagan (38B) Representative Tim Wilkin, rep.tim.wilkin@house.mn

Eagan (38B, including Caponi Art Park) Representative Lynn Wardlow, rep.lynn.wardlow@house.mn

________________________________________________________________

Re: IN SUPPORT OF DNR Local Initiative Grants

Dear Representative [and if appropriate: "and Capital Investment Committee Member" ] << Name from Above >>,

I am writing to encourage your endorsement of the Capital Investment Bill in support of the Local Initiative Grant Program, a bill which could help Eagan and other cities and Dakota and other counties conserve important natural and scenic areas with DNR matching grants.

The bill could help the Eagan area and especially the Eagan Core Greenway Project in the same manner that the Wildlife Management Area Bill could help wildlife habit in greater Minnesota. Both programs are essential.

I request that legislators earmark at least the recommended 2.5 million dollars for the bill to help meet demonstrated needs and stimulate local conservation action. Eagan and other cities and citizens are working to save a number of key parcels of suburban open space in proximity to natural parkland, space that is important to our quality of life and our future.

cc: Rep. Lynn Wardlow; Rep. Tim Wilkin; Sen. Mike McGinn

Sincerely yours,

<< Your Name >>

Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway

www.EaganCoreGreenway.org

<< Your Address >>
Eagan, MN << Your Zip >>

<< Your Phone No. >>