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Sample Letter Supporting Continued Funding
for the National Biosolids Partnership

Special Instructions
(1) Please adjust this letter according to whether your agency/organization is represented on either the Senate and/or House VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee. Refer to attached list for Subcommittee contacts.
(2) Please fax (202/833-4657) or e-mail (gschaner@amsa-cleanwater.org) Greg Schaner, Manager of Government Affairs.

Dear Senator/Representative _______:

I am writing to request your support in obtaining continued funding for the National Biosolids Partnership (NBP), an organization cosponsored by the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As an agency or organization (pick one) which works to further the safe and efficient handling and use of biosolids, as a clean water resource, we believe that the NBP program will provide widespread benefits for our community and communities nationwide. I wish to thank you and your colleagues for voting to support the first phase of the NBP initiative by allocating $900,000 for fiscal year 1999. I urge you to support AMSA and WEF, as cosponsors of this initiative, in their efforts to secure an additional $1.775 million to continue this important work next year.

The NBP will greatly advance the beneficial reuse of biosolids through the development and promotion of a national environmental management system containing accepted practices for municipal generators of biosolids, voluntary certification standards to further public acceptance, and a sophisticated program for pilot testing participating agencies. The NBP initiative is aggressively moving forward to implement this system and needs additional funding to continue its work.

[Use this paragraph if your agency/organization is located in a State with a member on the Senate or House Subcommittee (see attached list)] A continuation of Congress' strong commitment to the NBP is critical to its success. As a member of the Senate or House (pick one) VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee, we urge you to vote favorably to approve AMSA's pending request for $1.775 million for fiscal year 2000. Your support for this project will greatly assist our agency or organization (pick one) in addressing our community's safe and environmentally sound use and disposal of biosolids.

[Use this paragraph if your agency/organization is not located in a State with Subcommittee representation] A continuation of Congress' strong commitment to the NBP is critical to its success. We urge you to communicate your support to the House or Senate (pick one) VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee for providing full funding for the requested $1.775 million for fiscal year 2000. Your support for this project will greatly assist our agency or organization (pick one) in addressing our community's safe and environmentally sound use and disposal of biosolids.

Thank you for your assistance in this important initiative. Please let us know if you have any questions on the effectiveness of this innovative program.

Sincerely,