The following is a copy of a letter that was sent out to our SB 30 mailing list:

Hello everyone:

Here at LandWatch, we're always working to come up with new ways to make our voices heard. Being that many of us are from Central and Eastern Oregon, it can be difficult to make the trip to Salem to testify on important issues like keeping destination resorts out of the Metolius. When we're given short notice, it's often impossible.

And so we've come up with a brand new idea to make our voices heard: blogging.

Okay, blogging isn't a new idea, and yes, it has already been used very effectively as a political tool in recent elections. But we believe that the way we're proposing to use it here is quite novel:

Using a blog site created just this weekend– www.noresorts.blogspot.com– our goal is to bank ALL the testimony (e-mails, letters, and in-person) offered in support of SB 30 thus far, as well as all future testimony supporting the bill.

Why? We got to thinking: Senator Westlund claims he's received more letters of support for SB 30 than he has letters of support for any other issue this session, right? Chances are, he hasn't even seen the half of it!

Letters have been sent not just to Westlund– the bill's sponsor– but to Senator Vicki Walker and the other members of her committee as well as other senators and representatives, including Rep. John Dallum, the bill's now ex- co-sponsor.

Maybe they share letters with each other, or maybe not. In most cases, probably not.

So how many letters have been sent? Only we can answer that question. By collecting them all in one place on the web, we'll be sending a powerful political message of support and enabling everyone to view– and comment on– what's been written. Just as importantly, lawmakers can view it– and trust us, we'll make sure they know it's there.

We're not going to write this blog– you are. In fact, you already have. What remains is to organize and manage it, and that's our job.

What do you need to do? Simple: send your letters to info@centraloregonlandwatch.org and include the following:

Who the letter is from;
On what date you sent it;
To whom you sent it;
How it was delivered (letter, e-mail, in person...).

We'll post it to the site for you. And for every letter you are planning to send from now on, cc us at info@centraloregonlandwatch.org, and we'll post those as they're submitted. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR LETTERS BEFORE 5:00pm on TUESDAY APRIL 24th. I know that's not much time, but we just devised this plan over the weekend, and it's critical that this site be overflowing with letters the night before the hearing so that legislators can be properly alerted (and impressed!). Seeing as I will be posting everything, and that will take some time, the more time you give me the better.

Many of you have already cc'd us on letters. However, I believe it's important that we ask each of you if you'd like to participate, rather than just assume it's okay. So if you've sent letters to us already, please send them again with the info requested.

It's very important that this site not be used as a substitute for sending letters directly to lawmakers or showing up in person. There simply is no substitute for doing that. What we want are copies of letters sent to lawmakers– you need to ensure your letters are going directly to their intended audience in Salem, first.

Also please note that this is a site devoted to pro SB 30 letters only, and that we will only post constructive letters, not personal attacks or anything hateful or potentially libelous. So we'll be screening all letters and comments for content.

Remember, there is a hearing THIS THURSDAY AT 6:00PM in HEARING ROOM C at the Capital in Salem. We had close to thirty people show up in support at the April 5th hearing, and the level of support has continued to expand. I hope to see even more at this Thursday's hearing.

As always, if you have any questions, you can contact me at erik@centraloregonlandwatch.org.

Thanks for your continued support and please start sending us your letters for the blog ASAP and tell all your supportive friends, family members, and acquaintances to do the same.

Yours,

Erik