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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>You can help by clicking on <a href="http://advocate.asla.org/app/write-a-letter?3&engagementId=141976">http://advocate.asla.org/app/write-a-letter?3&engagementId=141976</a> to send an instant message to YOUR Congressman opposing the Hartzler amendment. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Thanks to those of you who took action earlier, by signing the group letter of organizations and businesses and/or sending a message to your Representative</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>. Please take action one more time! </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Again, P2 appreciates our partner, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), for sharing their online capability.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='color:red'>THREAT</span></u>: An amendment offered to the House Transportation Reauthorization legislation (H.R. 3763) offered on the House floor last night by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO) would <i>eliminate funding for all vegetation management projects for federal highways and other rights-of-way.</i> If adopted, this provision would strip funding that could be used by States to improve pollinator habitat on rights-of-way. <u>The vote on the amendment will occur today</u>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><u>Background</u>:<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>A pollinator habitat provision based on the <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm">BEE Highways Act</a> has been included in Transportation Reauthorization legislation with bipartisan support in both the Senate and House! After 5 years of trying, Congress is nearly to the finish line! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The pollinator roadsides provision in both bills is based on H.R. 2738, the <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm">Highways BEE Act</a>, which was introduced prior to 2015 National Pollinator Week by Denham and Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The provision directs Secretary of Transportation to use existing authorities, programs and funding to assist IVM and pollinator habitat efforts by willing State DOT’s AND <i>adds eligibility for pollinator habitat to a key eligibility account</i>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Over 250 national, regional, and local organizations and 2,800 American scientists and individuals from all walks of life across the nation signed a petition in support of such legislation. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm">http://www.pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The Hartzler amendment would eliminate funding that could be used by States for vegetation management that could improve pollinator habitat and provide other important benefits.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director of Public Policy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/">Pollinator Partnership</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Cell: (703) 509-4746<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <a href="tva@pollinator.org">TVA@pollinator.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePollinatorPartnership"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=32 height=32 id="_x0000_i1029" src="cid:image001.png@01D116F9.869A6C30" alt="cid:image001.png@01CF8022.906D0160"></span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pollinators"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=32 height=32 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.png@01D116F9.869A6C30" alt="cid:image002.png@01CF8022.906D0160"></span></a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/PollinatorPartners"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=32 height=32 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.png@01D116F9.869A6C30" alt="cid:image003.png@01CF8022.906D0160"></span></a> <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PollinatorOrg/about"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=32 height=32 id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image004.png@01D116F9.869A6C30" alt="cid:image004.png@01CF8022.906D0160"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.pollinator.org/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=172 height=77 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image007.png@01D116F9.86AD7F00"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>
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