Mr. Steckler is correct. I was told the same thing by both a congressional aide and a state agency staffer, namely that contact from citizens has impact increasingly in the following order:
* electronic petitions carry the least weight * followed by form emails * followed by individually-drafted emails * followed by phone calls * but best of all is an old fashioned letter faxed or sent through the mail I had though a phone call would count less than a thoughtful email, but both people told me that wasn't true - they mostly just count the yea's & nays and the medium is what matters! Alicia On 7/12/2015 6:36 PM, Carl Steckler wrote: > I would like to chime in here. Dave your info and perspective are > right on. The problem I have is having everyone relying so heavily on > a petition. > > Having given comment , all be it about Wolves, to both DEC and FWS on > several occasions concerning de-listing or changing status of wildlife > I have learned that petitions do not carry as much weight as you would > think. > After talking to several FWS agents and hearing their comments > concerning petitions I have come to the conclusion that a letter > directly to the agency, clearly marked as comment about the change of > protection to the Golden-cheeked Warbler will do much more than a > petition. Both the people from DEC and FWS have told me that petitions > do not carry much weight because there is little thought and effort to > sign a petition, it is too easy and anyone can do it without really > knowing the issues. I have also heard this statement from several > prominent wildlife biologists. > > Even a short letter outlining why you believe that a change is either > warranted or not warranted with sound biological reasons, and > certainly loss of habitat certainly qualifies as a sound biological > reason, means a lot more to those reviewing the issue. If FWS suddenly > started receiving dozens of letters commenting about this issue they > will be more motivated to look at the situation a lot closer before > making a decision. > > Is it worth you buying a stamp and spending a few minutes writing a > letter? You bet it is. In these days of electronic mail and web based > petitions a letter still carries a lot more weight. So sit down and > wright please. > Carl Steckler > > On 7/12/2015 13:46, Sandy Wold wrote: >> ... for your eloquent synopsis of the Golden-cheeked Warbler >> conservation status, educating and updating us, modeling a graceful >> (also fair and balanced) assessment of a potentially controversial >> issue, modelling how to acknowledge the contribution of all parties >> concerned, and (finally) sharing your personal conclusion (absent of >> any arm-twisting). You not only saved some of us a lot of time, but >> I am now personally motivated to read more about this! >> -- >> *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* >> Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> >> Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> >> *Archives:* >> The Mail Archive >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> >> Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> >> BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> >> *Please submit your observations to eBird >> <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* >> -- > > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --