Sample Letter

We invite you to copy and personalize the following letter and send it to Governor Schwarzenegger today. You can download a Word copy of this letter by clicking here.

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As your constituent, I am writing this letter to urge you and your appropriate state agencies to act swiftly to clean up the mercury leaching into Clear Lake from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine. As one of California’s greatest natural treasures, Clear Lake is an invaluable source fresh water and supports the local economy through fishing, boating and tourism. In addition, like a giant circulatory system, its aquifers feed into streams and rivers that eventually flow into the Sacramento Valley, Napa Valley and the San Francisco Bay carrying this increased mercury and methylmercury to millions of Californians every day.

Clear Lake is in crisis, failing to meet water quality standards for drinking, the consumption of fish, swimming and other activities. In 1990, the EPA listed the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine as a site on the Superfund’s National Priorities List. In 2002, EPA recommendations indicated that the existing mercury levels should be reduced by 70% in order to meet current water quality objectives, and in the last 5 years, the bioaccumulative methylmercury has only increased. We must take real steps to clean up Clear Lake before it’s too late.

Please act now to issue an executive order to properly clean and cap the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine and clean up the damaging effects this mine has had on Clear Lake and its distributary waterways.

Should you require any additional information about Clear Lake and its importance to California’s environment please contact Russell Anderson at (925) 783-4630 or clearlake444@hotmail.com.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep me informed about any legislation on this issue. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,