Act Now, Paddle Later! Please write/call VA senators to support SB737 to ensure that access to rivers in Virginia

Dear CCC members, As a follow up to the emails about preserving access to VA Rivers, Barbara Franko provided us the letter below as a template. I urge you to take this letter and personalize it and sent to the senators in the districts of your favorite rivers. If you keep scrolling down, I also provided a prelimilary list of Rivers/Senators emails/numbers.

For more info on the Bill visit:

THE BILL

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?131+sum+SB737

Thanks,

Elyse Lee

Conservation Chair

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Dear Senator _________,

I am writing this letter as an outdoor enthusiast and paddler. My friends and I frequently travel many miles each weekend to enjoy the beautiful rivers of the Eastern US. I am excited to see that Virginia has the chance, through the proposed bill SB737, to ensure that the larger streams and rivers of Virginia will be accessible to paddlers from Virginia as well as from outside the state.

Even though I live outside the state, I believe that you need to be made aware of the wonderful possibility of bringing more outdoor enthusiasts to Virginia. In addition to allowing Virginians to spend their recreational dollars at home, it also encourages others to visit and spend their recreational dollars in Virginia. This will allow the Virginia communities to broaden their economic base, as well as serve as a source of community pride. Such activities tend to attract and even retain high-quality residents and businesses, since many young professionals who enjoy kayaking relocate to states with more open access (as seen in some of the nearby states).

Paddling is a healthy and wholesome activity. Paddlers are generally responsible and respectful on the river, usually making a point to clean up an area that they visit.

This bill requires no state spending. It does not seek the property rights of any private landowner, nor does it grant any boater the right to trespass on privately owned land. It merely clarifies which waters are open and available to paddle on.

Please support this bill, and encourage others to do the same.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Looking forward to visiting Virginia again soon!

Sincerely,

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Dan River:

Senator Bill Stanley

Email: district20@senate.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 698-7520

James River:

Senator: Creigh Deeds (D)

Email: district25@senate.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 698-7525

Senator: Stephen Newman (R)

Email: district23@senate.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 698-7523