Grand Junction • Entered by Lisa Eckert on March 18, 2024
Citizen Lobbying in DC
March 2, 2024 – March 6, 2024
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | 24 |
| Post Admin hours | 6 |
| Activity Hours | 28 |
| Participants | 1 |
| Total Hours | 58 |
Key Issue: Wilderness & Monument Designation/Protection
Activity Type: Advocacy (rallies, lobbying, meeting decision makers, letters/calls/emails)
Key Partners: Utah Wilderness Coalition (Sierra Club and Southern UT Wilderness Coalition)
Landscape/area: Bears Ears National Monument (BLM) (1351837 acres)
Measurable Outcomes
Outcome 1: Advocacy actions (9 In-person appts with federal staffers in DC)
Short Description of Activity
SUWA asked if I would be their CO rep for Wilderness Week in DC for a massive citizen lobbying effort to request (or thank) federally elected officials to cosponsor America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (8.4 million acres in se UT – currently BLM lands and includes Bears Ears and Grand Staircase). I was assigned to be on the CO-NM team and two of us set up appts, met with, wrote thank you cards and emails in our respective states. Day One – SUWA held training; Days 2, 3 and 4 we attended our appts and reported back to DC SUWA office.
Reflection/Evaluation
The objective was met – to meet in person with federally elected officials’ staffers. If we could get a commitment to cosponsor or met the senator or congress rep in person we exceeded our goal (and were very enthused). For example, (1) Sen Bennet has cosponsored five times in the past and when we met with his staffer, Yousof Omeish, Yousof thought this issue “had fallen off the table” and was fairly certain that when he met with his boss there would be a cosponsor; (2) As we awaited our Rep Pettersen (CO-7) staffer appt, the congresswoman walked through the waiting area and as I recognized her, I stood to introduce myself and purpose as to our meeting with her staffer; (3) we actually met with Rep Stansbury (NM) who is the original sponsor for the House this Congress. I don’t know the final count of all of our meetings, but at the end of Tuesday March 5 (day two of meetings), all of us had a total of 134 meetings and still had a half-day on March 6 to go. Photos attached (1) the TX lobbyist and me hold sign in front of Capitol, (2) meeting with Rep Stansbury, left to right Patricia Cardona (NM activist), Rep Stansbury, Lauren Hainesworth (SUWA), Jeremy Lynch (SUWA), Lisa Eckert (CO activist)
Photos/Uploads
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