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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=whitesmoke lang=EN-US link="#FF6600" vlink="#FF6600"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The Highways BEE Act Action Update and Opportunity to Sign Group Letter is provided below, along with an easy, <u>online</u> way to sign the letter as an organization-company and/or individual.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>A huge pollinator thanks to those who already signed on. Help us build momentum!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>PS-<i>Government employees can sign as individuals. If decide to forward opportunity to others, recommend using personal e-mail account.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Tom Van Arsdall, Pollinator Partnership Director of Public Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> (703) 509-4746<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <a href="mailto:tva@pollinator.org"><span style='color:blue'>mailto:tva@pollinator.org</span></a> or <a href="mailto:tom@vanarsdall.com"><span style='color:blue'>mailto:tom@vanarsdall.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/"><span style='color:blue'>Pollinator Partnership</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> Pollinator Partnership [mailto:Pollinator_Partnership@mail.vresp.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 12, 2011 2:47 PM<br><b>To:</b> tva@pollinator.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Support Highways BEE Act - Sign Group Letter<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=650 style='width:487.5pt;background:white;border:solid #62788B 1.5pt'><tr><td colspan=3 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><img border=0 width=650 height=203 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/f/5/d/f5d70b4803/6a9d1ebabf/f3249f6794/library/highways%202.jpg" alt="highways "><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td width=636 valign=top style='width:477.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p>Tuesday, July 12, 2011<o:p></o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=654 style='width:490.5pt'><tr><td width="28%" valign=top style='width:28.0%;background:white;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><strong><span style='color:#336699'>Dear Friends:</span></strong><br><br><strong><span style='color:#336699'>A HUGE POLLINATOR THANK YOU</span></strong> if you responded to the earlier P.A.T. Action Request and are one of more than 1,000 organizations, scientists and other individuals who signed the <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/037c08c174/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Group%20Letter&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Group Letter</a><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/92872ee906/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=html%20Version%20-%20Image%20Link%202&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter"> </a>(<em>includes signatories to date!</em>)<br>If not, <strong>sign-ons are still being accepted </strong>to help build momentum for the legislation in the House and Senate. You can help bees and other pollinators. <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/52f1282afb/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Click%20Here&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Click Here</a> to sign on (Letter text also shown below).<br><br><strong><span style='color:#336699'>Who Can Sign?</span></strong><br>· <strong>Organizations </strong>at all levels (national, state, local)<br>· <strong>Companies</strong><br>· <strong>Individuals</strong><br>· <strong>Researchers</strong><br><br><strong><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/5e51e404a7/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Highways%20BEE%20Act%20%28&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Highways BEE Act (</a></strong><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/5317b04999/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Highways%20Bettering%20the%20Economy%20and%20Environment%20Act%29&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act)</a> - (H.R. 2381), was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives during Pollinator Week, on June 23, 2011. The bill promotes conservation practices on 17 million acres of highway right-of-ways (ROWs) by encouraging reduced mowing and increased native plantings that provide improved habitat for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife. <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/6e1301ecdf/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Click%20Here&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Click Here</a> for additional background on the legislation.<br><br>The legislation will help cash-strapped States save money by reducing mowing and help improve pollinator habitat by increasing native plantings. This is a ‘<em>win-win</em>’ opportunity to SHARE 17 million acres of highway right-of-ways with our pollinating partners.<br><br>Forward this opportunity to others who may be interested. Spreading the word helps!<br><br><strong><span style='color:#336699'>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! BY PARTICIPATING YOU ARE MAKING A POSITIVE CHANGE FOR POLLINATORS, THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR ECONOMY.</span></strong><br><br><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/02c62b2a15/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=200 height=30 id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/f/5/d/f5d70b4803/6a9d1ebabf/f3249f6794/library/signthisletter.jpg" alt=signthisletter></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><strong>GROUP LETTER IN SUPPORT OF HIGHWAYS BEE ACT</strong><br> <br>The undersigned support the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act (Highways BEE Act). <br> <br>The Highways BEE Act proposes significant economic and conservation benefits that can be achieved through integrated vegetation management (IVM) practices on Federal and state highway right-of-ways (ROWs) managed by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). These areas represent about 17 million acres of opportunity where significant reductions in mowing and maintenance can reduce costs for cash-strapped State DOTs. <br> <br>Reductions in roadside mowing, combined with enhanced plantings of native forbs and grasses, can provide economic benefits, reduced carbon emissions, and critical habitat for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife. Pollinators, such as bees, birds, bats, and butterflies, are essential to healthy ecosystems and are vital partners in American agriculture. Pollinators are suffering drastic population loss, due in part to loss of habitat.<br> <br>Landscape improvement through native plants has the added benefit of providing resistance to invasive plants, reduced fire danger, and more scenic highways. Roadside native plantings have the added benefit of being less attractive to mega-fauna, like deer and elk, than fescue and other non-native grasses currently found on most roadsides. Mega-fauna are the fastest growing cause of costly vehicle accidents. In addition, neighboring agricultural lands and wildlife ecosystems will benefit from improved pollination services.<br> <br>This legislation supports and builds on innovative IVM efforts in a growing number of State DOT’s by directing the Secretary of Transportation to use existing authorities, programs and funding to encourage and facilitate efforts by States and other transportation ROWs managers, to adopt IVM practices, including reduced mowing and enhanced native plantings that provide multiple fiscal, safety and aesthetic benefits while also promoting habitat and migratory corridors for pollinators, ground nesting birds and other small wildlife.<br> <br>ORGANIZATIONS<br> <br>INDIVIDUALS<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td><td style='border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td style='border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr><tr><td colspan=3 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=654 style='width:490.5pt'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p align=center style='text-align:center'><strong>Share your love for pollinators. Join us on:</strong><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/524180903b"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=78 height=29 id="_x0000_i1028" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/f/5/d/f5d70b4803/6a9d1ebabf/f3249f6794/library/twitter-logo.jpg" alt="p2 twitter"></span></a><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/2498d6b9a7"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=78 height=29 id="_x0000_i1029" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/f/5/d/f5d70b4803/6a9d1ebabf/f3249f6794/library/facebook-logo4%203.jpg" alt="p2 facebook"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><img border=0 width=650 height=120 id="_x0000_i1030" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/f/5/d/f5d70b4803/6a9d1ebabf/f3249f6794/library/boxbottom%202.jpg" alt="p2 logo"><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/e353268824/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Make%20a%20donation%20online%20today%20for%20pollinators%2C%20people%20and%20our%20ecosystems%2E&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">Make a donation online today for pollinators, people and our ecosystems.</a></strong><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><br><br><span class=style62>Pollinator Partnership - 423 Washington St, 5th Floor - San Francisco, CA 94111-2339 - (415) 362-1137 - <a href="mailto:info@pollinator.org">info@pollinator.org</a></span><br><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/da6150dc9c/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=www%2Epollinator%2Eorg&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">www.pollinator.org</a><br><br>Please review our <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/d203fe1568/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=privacy%20policy&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">privacy policy</a> and <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?PollinatorPartnershi/6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/2d6ae33eea/utm_content=tva%40pollinator.org&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=terms%20of%20use%2E&utm_campaign=Support%20Highways%20BEE%20Act%20-%20Sign%20Group%20Letter">terms of use.</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></div><p><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/894303/6a9d1ebabf/1655062769/10ec4f5e8b/">Click to view this email in a browser</a> <br><br>If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/u?6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/mlpftw">Unsubscribe</a> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";border:solid #999999 1.0pt;padding:4.0pt'><a href="http://oi.vresp.com/f2af/v4/send_to_friend.html?ch=6a9d1ebabf&lid=1655062769&ldh=10ec4f5e8b">Click here</a> to forward this email to a friend</span></b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Pollinator Partnership<br>423 Washington Street<br>5th Floor<br>San Francisco, California 94111<br>US<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html" target="_blank">Read</a> the VerticalResponse marketing policy. <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><a href="http://www.verticalresponse.com/landing/ef/?np/6a9d1ebabf" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1032" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/np_pwrby_vr_logo_126.gif" alt="Non-Profits Email Free with VerticalResponse!"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1033" src="http://cts.vresp.com/o.gif?6a9d1ebabf/10ec4f5e8b/mlpftw"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>