sample letter to a legislator

Sample Letters

Date

The Honorable Joe Smith
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Climbing Access to Cerro Remualdo

Dear Congressman Smith,

I am writing on behalf of the Access Fund, a national, non-profit climbers organization dedicated to preserving the natural resources used by climbers, and climbers' access to those resources. The Access Fund represents climbers' interests before land owners and government, and provides funds for land acquisition, conservation projects, and climber education. A short time ago one of your constituents (and one of our members) called the Access Fund and requested assistance in preserving climbing access to Cerro Remualdo. Apparently this area is on state land which is leased to the National Guard. At present climbers can use the site but only after forging through a confusing series of bureaucratic hurdles.

The Access Fund formally requests that you help Mr. Slater and the growing population of climbers around San Luis Obispo to simplify and perpetuate recreational access to this special resource. Specifically, the Access Fund asks that you contact the National Guard and urge them to cancel the 60-day advance notice, letter of intent, and waiver which presently are required of climbers and other recreationists who want to access Cerro Remualdo.

Cerro Remualdo is important to the greater San Luis Obispo community, as it provides a valuable and unique recreational resource. Hikers, birdwatchers, and joggers use the area as well as climbers. The formalities currently required of citizens wanting to visit Cerro Remualdo seem excessive and unnecessary for public recreational use of state lands; the State of California generally does not require waivers for climbing or other recreation on its property. Local climbers have proposed a reasonable alternative: a trailhead posting of National Guard training exercise dates (when public access is disallowed), and a parking agreement with the Juvenile Detention Center, which is adjacent to the trailhead where people have traditionally parked to access Cerro Remualdo.

The Access Fund has worked closely with government, from municipalities to federal agencies, on issues of land use and land owner liability. We would be pleased to assist your office in developing agreements with the National Guard that will permit greater recreational access to Cerro Remualdo and satisfy security and public safety concerns.

Local climbers are addressing this issue in a proactive manner, and are seeking a solution that will be acceptable to all over the long term. Cerro Remualdo has broad appeal as a recreation site and natural area. We urge you to endorse and assist the efforts of San Luis Obispo climbers to make this significant public resource more easily accessible.

Please call or write as soon as possible to inform us of actions you have undertaken to support a balanced, compromise solution to the issue of public access to Cerro Remualdo.

Yours truly,
Signature
[your name here and affiliations, if any]