The Friends of the Monument are actively seeking individuals residing on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to write letters to the President of the United States, George W. Bush, to support the designation of the proposed Mariana Trench Marine National Monument. Our goal is to send him over 200 letters.
The goals of these letters are to showcase broad support throughout the islands. Letters can come from individuals, associations, businesses, clubs, or other organizations. Whenever possible, letters should be written on official letterhead.
The letters must be addressed to the President and must contain three important things. The letter should (1) identify who you are, that you live in the CNMI, and what type of official titles you hold in the community, (2) describe why you support the monument, and finish by (3) asking the President to designate a “highly protected” monument restricting commercial extraction.
The carbon copy list
MUST include the following:
CC: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce
James Connaughton, CEQ Chairman
Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., NOAA
Friends of the Monument
Additional recipients
MAY include the following:
CC: Media
Benigno R. Fitial, Governor
Arnold Palacios, House Speaker
Pete P. Reyes, Senate President
Please call the Monument Office at (670) 234-2665 if you need any assistance or if you have any questions. If you bring your letter into the office, we can mail it out for you to all the appropriate people.
A sample letter may look like:
October 1, 2008
President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
RE: Support for the proposed Mariana Trench Marine National Monument
Dear President Bush,
My name is Joe Chamorro and I am a fifth generation resident of the island of Saipan. Many of the men in my family are fishermen and my father, Joe Sr., fought for Freedom during the Vietnam war. I am a former congressman and a small business owner. I am also the President of the local volleyball association and spend my extra time working with the homeless.
I have been to the Northern Islands on two occasions. Those islands are the crown jewel of the Pacific and there is nothing I would want more than to share the beauty of my home with the entire world by designating the waters surrounding the far northern islands of Maug, Uracas, and Asuncion as a Marine National Monument.
I speak on behalf of my children and generations yet to come when I ask you to please create a highly protected Mariana Trench Marine National Monument that restricts commercial extraction.
Sincerely,
Joe Chamorro
CC: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
Carlos M Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce
James Connaughton, CEQ Chairman
Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., NOAA
Friends of the Monument
Media
Addresses to send the letters are as follows:
George W. Bush
President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
The Honorable Dirk Kempthorne
Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
The Honorable Carlos M. Gutierrez
Herbert Clark Hoover Building
1401 Constitution Ave, NW
Room 5858
Washington, DC 20230
James Connaughton, Chairman
Council on Environmental Quality
722 Jackson Place, NW
Washington, D.C. 20503
fax: (202) 456-6546
oceans@ceq.eop.gov
Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room 6217
Washington, D.C. 20230
Fax: (202) 482-3154
Friends of the Monument
c/o Ike Cabrera
PO BOX 500921
Saipan, MP 96950
American Memorial Park
Visitor’s Center
