May     , 2008

The Honorable _______________
House of Representatives
State House
Boston , MA 02133  

Dear Representative ______________:

I am writing asking you to help enact the Public Lands Preservation Act (S. 2388).   Please ask Chairman Robert A. DeLeo of House Ways and Means to report the bill out favorably and soon.    

S. 2388 would establish a government policy that public land acquired for natural resource purposes (Article 97 land) not be disposed of or converted to other uses without demonstration that there is no feasible alternative and replacement with comparable natural resource land. The PLPA would stem the loss of parks, playgrounds, conservation land, watersheds, and other public natural resource lands.  

This bill is important to me because

[LEGISLATORS, LIKE MOST OF US, RESPOND MORE TO SPECIFICS THAN GENERALITIES.  SAMPLE REASONS, DEPENDING UPON YOUR INTEREST, ARE:

You believe that  public land  should not be disposed of casually, as happens now.  Disposals should take place only after careful analysis of alternatives.  

Your kids spend a lot of time in a playground in your neighborhood, and you want to make sure it stays a playground.  

You feel strongly about no-net-loss .  

You have spent the last 20 years trying to preserve open space.  

A part of xyz park in your town was taken over for a DPW parking lot and you want to prevent that kind of thing happening again.  

You know people who might be willing to donate open land but are concerned that it would not be protected in perpetuity.  

You are a member of your concom, planning board, watchdog organization, etc. and you get a lot of pressure to give up natural resource land.  

You are concerned at the rate of unplanned development which threatens loss of public lands.  

You have been fighting a housing authority that wants to use conservation land in your neighborhood for a parking lot.  

You have been instrumental in acquisition of public land and don't want to lose it.  

These lands were acquired with taxpayer dollars for parks, conservation land, etc and that's what they should be used for.  

YOU GET THE IDEA]

Please let Chairman DeLeo know that you want S. 2388 enacted this legislative session.  I should appreciate receiving a copy of your letter to the Chairman.

Sincerely,