please contact your state senator to oppose Grannis

[Tim Bromund]

Here is an e-mail I received from Rich Davenport (I believe from ECFSC)

FYI,

With the recent news of Gov Spitzer nominating Alexander Grannis to head the NYS DEC, many sportsmen across NYS have mobilized, using this very grave threat to Outdoors Conservation and Recreation as our rallying cry to unite, and uniting we are!

Below is a letter that has been forwarded out by a fellow sportsmen. Since the confirmation process requires a vote from the NYS SENATE, we need to contact our respective Senators and express our opposition to confirming Mr Grannis. We must act soon.

If you do not wish to use the letter found at the end of this message, you may use the one that I sent in as well, or craft your own.

Dear Senator ;

I write this to you over my grave concerns regarding the nomination of Alexander "Pete" Grannis to become Commissioner of the NYS DEC. Considering his well-known record of being against trapping, hunting and being anti 2nd Amendment rights, this nominee would do severe, if not devastating damage to the vital, and extremely lucrative industries hunting, trapping and fishing represents to NYS, industries which through tax revenues and conservation fund contributions, buttress NYS ability to protect the natural resources the Department is charged to protect. Through his own political agenda, this ability would be crippled. The people of NYS deserve much better.

This department should be run by qualified Biologists and Habitat Managers, not career politicians, as our natural resources deserve to be protected devoid of political agendas.

I urge you to please deny your support to this nomination, and speak with your colleagues to do the same. We need a true conservationist running this department, not someone with a political agenda.

Sincerely

To contact your State Senator, you may go to the NYS Senate website at www.senate.state.ny.us. Go to the Members page for a complete list of senators. If you are uncertain of who your senator is, you may use the zip code locator found on the right side of this page. Each senator has their own portal site, using domain names as www.senatorrath.com, or www.senatormaziarz.com, or www.senatorvolker.com. Each senator's site contains a "Contact" link, which provides mailing addresses and their email contact tool.

Please act today!!! NYS wildlife, fisheries and our natural resources need our help, now more than ever.....

Thanks much

Rich Davenport

[nyforests]

While I don't disagree with your position, the fact is that the DEC has not been headed by a career biologist in recent history if ever. Its always a lawyer or someone owed a favor. The good side it that the commisioner is not truely in a position to make policy. I believe Commissioners are appointed at the sole pleasure of Spitzer, not sure what the state senate can really do to help us out. With that said, it can't hurt to write a few letters.

[nyforests]

I stand corrected, just did a little research and he does need approval. First I heard of that, there have been several commissioners in my career and never heard of a senate approval. Live and learn...

[Tim Bromund]

Whether the Commissioner has a major influence on policy decisions or not, Grannis is the Manhattan turd that introduced the bill to ban trapping in NYS and I don't want him anywhere near the DEC.

Tim

[nyforests]

He will most likely be approved, with long list of commissioners being selected the DEC item just isn't that controversal. On a brighter note, Spitzer is increasing the EPF budget, which was a surprise to me. I thought for sure he would concentrate on regulatory items and let Land faulter. As for the trapping issue, you won't find many politicians from the 5 boroughs in favor of it. The people they represent just don't understand the benefits and they never will.