Stop Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic and wetland invasive species--such as the zebra mussel, northern snakehead fish, and purple loostrife--damage our native ecosystems and cause serious economic harm. Congress has an opportunity to prevent more of this dangerous destruction by passing the broad and timely provisions in the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA).

Please take a moment to contact your senators and representative and urge them to protect our natural ecosystems by supporting this critical legislation and passing NAISA in 2005.

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Dear Member of Congress,

(Edit Letter Below)

I am concerned about invasive aquatic species, such as zebra mussels, northern snakehead fish, black carp, and the weeds hydrilla and caulerpa. I urge you to protect native species, ecosystems, the economy, and public health, by passing the kind of broad and timely provisions in the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA).

NAISA (S. 770, H.R.1591 and H.R.1592) is the most comprehensive bill targeting aquatic invasive species proposed in the current Congress. It reauthorizes the National Invasive Species Act of 1996, and improves upon this earlier law by extending protections to all U.S. waters, including inland ones and wetlands, and by authorizing additional federal work in key areas. NAISA will:

*identify and limit all of the most risky pathways of aquatic introductions, including ships' ballast water;
*allow states to set tougher ballast water standards than federal ones; 
*ensure that the Clean Water Act is not superceded regarding ballast water;
*require that species in trade for the first time are evaluated for invasiveness before import;
*monitor for new invasive species in the U.S.;
*and provide the means to respond quickly to them.

Passage of NAISA would strengthen current U.S. law. It will reduce costs, better protect native aquatic species and ecosystems, and make current government efforts more effective.

I urge you to join with many of your colleagues in this bi-partisan effort to protect our natural resources--and the jobs that depend on them--from the harmful effects of aquatic invasive species. I look forward to hearing your position on this issue.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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