Read Third !! COE Very Important !! Rick D.

[tkwalker]

I’m sure that all of you are probably more familiar with the fishing advocacy groups across the country than I am. But I’m not sure how well engaged they are in this battle with the Corps. Keep America Fishing (www.keepamericafishin.org.), is the fisherman’s advocacy leg of the industry enterprise, the American Sportfishing Association (www.asafishing.org). Keep America Fishing has canned letters on their web site, for members to contact their legislators regarding the Freedom to Fish Act, H.R. 826 and S. 421. For those of you with a forum to do so, that information may help if shared with your readers, listeners, or/and viewers.



Within the ASA, is the potentially powerful voice of their Government Affairs Committee. The Committee Chair and ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson, may be the conduit to speakers for events such as the pending rally at Barkley Dam. Among the Ambassadors for Keep America Fishing, are Shaw Grigsby, Roland Martin, Mike Iconelli, and others. I would think that Mr. Robertson is on a first name basis with at least some of these well recognized personalities. They are the faces sponsored by the multi-billion dollar industry he represents. (In Tennessee and Kentucky alone, sportsmen spent $3.7 Billion in 2011.) Ultimately, it will likely be the collective strength of indu$try that ‘persuades’ our congressional representatives to do the right thing.



Among the members of the ASA’s Government affairs Committee are the following:



Gordon Robertson – ASA Executive V.P. and former Deputy Chief of West Virginia Wildlife Services (grobertson@asafishing.org)

Noreen Clough – B.A.S.S. (now part owned by Jerry McKinnis), 20 years with US Fish and Wildlife Services

Gary Kania – Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s V.P. of Policy, focused on pro-sportsmen's legislative and regulatory proposals.

Phil Morlock – Shimano American Corporation – also honorary Board Member of the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation

Jeff Marble – ASA Chairman of the Board – former C.E.O. Of Frabill (now owned by Plano)

Randy Repass - West Marine, founder/owner

Shaun Ruge – Navionics Inc.



While there are more, any of the people listed above could provide viable public or/and congressional testimony to the commerce of sport fishing, and of the extreme risks to that commerce by allowing an autonomous overreaching military to close vital fisheries, one-after-the-other. Perhaps ASA’s Robertson would be willing to help gather speakers for the Barkley Dam event. But, the invitation to speak would carry a great deal more credibility, if it came from the office of a federal legislator...



While lining up the folks that are on our side (I think), I have composed a list of federal legislators who have at one time or the other, objected to the USACE acting unilaterally and ignoring incredibly substantial involvement of citizens, commerce, and congress. Please find that list attached. Blend that list, with the sitting members of congress currently in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation / Caucus, (http://www.sportsmenslink.org/upload...20List(18).pdf) and the ‘assumed’ support looks as though it should be quite favorable.



There’s only two weeks left to enhance the tenor and substance of the message delivered at Barkley. Please feel free to share this message or any of its parts with whomever you choose.



On an ancillary subject; a this time, I don’t know who to turn to, but I think it’s critical in moving forward, that we find out who influenced and tabled the Senate amendment. (Keep your enemies closer...) Under current law, if there was indeed a lobbyist involved, we should be able to find out who, (see www.senate.gov/LDA) and that will get us closer to the money behind the truth that is motivating the Corps.



I can’t help but feel a renewed sense of urgency dictated by four factors:



1. The silence of ASA Darcy, under fire by so many congressional leaders, distinctly implying that this may not be the ceiling.

2. The ease at which the Corps stifled opposing legislation.

3. The order to expedite the barrier construction.

4. The “Property Line” now appearing on Corps web site photos of the 10 dams in question. (Implications for other takeovers.)



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