Environmentalists are still trying to shut down the oil and gas industry by listing the lesser prairie chicken on the endangered species list.
Please call Senators Udall and Hienrich TODAY, Wednesday, 5/8/13, from 2 – 3 pm (New Mexico time) and ask them to NOT list this bird as it will shut down oil and gas in the southeast corner of New Mexico. The New Mexico Business Coalition is working with others on this issue; our time slot to call is between 2 and 3 pm TODAY.
This should only take a minute or two of your time, but it will have a big impact for the voice of reason in our state.
Start with their DC office, but if that line is busy, please call the ABQ office.
Contact Info:
Senator Udall
Washington Office – (202) 224-6621
District Office (ABQ) – (505) 346-6791
Senator Heinrich
Washington Office – (202) 224-5521
District Office (ABQ) – (505) 346-6601
When you call, introduce yourself and let them know that you are opposed to the listing of the lesser prairie chicken.
You can stop there, but we would encourage you to consider asking one or more questions and sending the response to nmbiz@nmbizcoalition.org. Below is what we would like to know:
1. Where does the Senator stand on the potential listing?
2. Why is he not more actively involved with the issue, given the potentially devastating impacts to their constituents?
3. Is he willing to reach out to the Obama Administration on behalf of the hard working families of New Mexico. And if not, why not?
If you would like to review a couple of talking points before making the call, see below:
– Oil and gas industries support almost 80,000 jobs in New Mexico.
– Oil and gas industries contribute about 30% of New Mexico’s tax revenue.
– Oil and gas and industries accounted for $1.7 billion in severance taxes in New Mexico for fiscal year 2012, with more than half of that total going to public schools and higher education.
– Success with the lizard gives a blueprint for success with the lesser prairie chicken – no need for a listing from the federal government.
Frequently Asked Questions: Do I need to tell them my name, address, contact info? NO. You can give as much or as little information as you like. They may want to gather your contact info so they can send follow-up correspondence or flag you as caring about the issue. However, if you do not want follow-up correspondence, it is ok to just say your name and tell them where you are from and then ask the question(s).
What do I do if the lines are busy? First, pat yourself on the back because we are successful at getting their attention. Then please consider trying again. Our goal is sustain a continuous stream of calls during this time frame.
Become a member of the New Mexico Business Coalition today and join our effort to make New Mexico a prosperous place for businesses and individuals.
Contact the New Mexico Business Coalition at (505) 836-4223 or nmbiz@nmbizcoalition.org for more information.
