It's Just Like A Facebook Update, Only It Matters!

In reference to my last post on the environmental protection fund, here is how you contact your assemblyman in New York via email today and beyond. Below this I've attached a full list of assembly members with district and email addresses. If you don't know who your assemblyman is just click this -->link and enter your zip code to find out.

It's sort of like a Facebook status update (you know the 60 or so you post a day) or voting on American Idol, only it can actually make a difference.

It's really pretty simple:

1) Figure out your district, then scroll down to it, and click the email link of the member of that district.

2) Type a few words, to the effect of "Dear Assemblyman XXXXX, I would like to remind you that the New York State EPF is important to all New Yorker's and that we would like it's funding maintained etc etc etc... It doesn't have to be eloquent, spelled perfectly, or a masterpiece of American prose, just type words that sound something like what I wrote above without the "etc" or heck, leave 'em in if you want.

3) Hit the send button and feel good that you are probably less apathetic than the guy/gal next to you.

4) Congrats, you are a real live stars and stripes waving American whom did exactly what our founding fathers had in mind over 225 years ago when they created this representative democracy. Even Sarah Palin would "probably" consider you a real American! Pop open a well deserved cold one for all your hard work, sit back with a flag draped over your shoulders, and hum the Star Spangled banner!

Oh, and of course post a status update to Facebook and Twitter while you are at it!


Assembly Member E-mail Addresses

*Assembly Member
*E-mail address
*District

Abbate, Jr., Peter J.
AbbateP@assembly.state.ny.us
49th
Alessi, Marc S.
AlessiM@assembly.state.ny.us
1st
Alfano, Tom
AlfanoT@assembly.state.ny.us
21st
Amedore, George
AmedoreG@assembly.state.ny.us
105th
Arroyo, Carmen E.
ArroyoC@assembly.state.ny.us
84th
Assembly District Thirty Nine
39th
Aubry, Jeffrion L.
AubryJ@assembly.state.ny.us
35th
Bacalles, Jim
BacallesJ@assembly.state.ny.us
136th
Ball, Greg
BallG@assembly.state.ny.us
99th
Barclay, William A.
BarclaW@assembly.state.ny.us
124th
Barra, Bob
BarraR@assembly.state.ny.us
14th
Barron, Inez D.
BarronI@assembly.state.ny.us
40th
Benedetto, Michael
BenedeM@assembly.state.ny.us
82nd
Benjamin, Michael
BenjamM@assembly.state.ny.us
79th
Bing, Jonathan L.
BingJ@assembly.state.ny.us
73rd
Boyland, Jr., William F.
BoylandW@assembly.state.ny.us
55th
Boyle, Philip
BoyleP@assembly.state.ny.us
8th
Brennan, James F.
BrennaJ@assembly.state.ny.us
44th
Brodsky, Richard L.
BrodskR@assembly.state.ny.us
92nd
Brook-Krasny, Alec
BrookKrasnyA@assembly.state.ny.us
46th
Burling, Daniel J.
147th
Butler, Marc W.
ButlerM@assembly.state.ny.us
117th
Cahill, Kevin A.
CahillK@assembly.state.ny.us
101st
Calhoun, Nancy
CalhouN@assembly.state.ny.us
96th
Camara, Karim
CamaraK@assembly.state.ny.us
43rd
Canestrari, Ron
CanestR@assembly.state.ny.us
106th
Carrozza, Ann-Margaret
CarrozzaA@assembly.state.ny.us
26th
Castelli, Robert J.
CastelliR@assembly.state.ny.us
89th
Castro, Nelson L.
Castronl@assembly.state.ny.us
86th
Christensen, Joan K.
ChristensenJ@assembly.state.ny.us
119th
Clark, Barbara M.
ClarkB@assembly.state.ny.us
33rd
Colton, William
ColtonW@assembly.state.ny.us
47th
Conte, James D.
ConteJ@assembly.state.ny.us
10th
Cook, Vivian E.
CookV@assembly.state.ny.us
32nd
Corwin, Jane L.
CorwinJ@assembly.state.ny.us
142nd
Crespo, Marcos A.
CrespoM@assembly.state.ny.us
85th
Crouch, Clifford W.
CrouchC@assembly.state.ny.us
107th
Cusick, Michael
CusickM@assembly.state.ny.us
63rd
Cymbrowitz, Steven
CymbroS@assembly.state.ny.us
45th
DelMonte, Francine
DelMonF@assembly.state.ny.us
138th
DenDekker, Michael G.
DenDekkerM@assembly.state.ny.us
34th
Destito, RoAnn M.
DestitR@assembly.state.ny.us
116th
Dinowitz, Jeffrey
DinowiJ@assembly.state.ny.us
81st
Duprey, Janet L.
DupreyJ@assembly.state.ny.us
114th
Englebright, Steve
EngleS@assembly.state.ny.us
4th
Errigo, Joseph A.
ErrigoJ@assembly.state.ny.us
130th
Espaillat, Adriano
EspailA@assembly.state.ny.us
72nd
Farrell, Jr., Herman D.
FarrelH@assembly.state.ny.us
71st
Fields, Ginny
FieldsG@assembly.state.ny.us
5th
Finch, Gary D.
FinchG@assembly.state.ny.us
123rd
Fitzpatrick, Michael J.
FitzpatrickM@assembly.state.ny.us
7th
Gabryszak, Dennis H.
GabryszakD@assembly.state.ny.us
143rd
Galef, Sandy
GalefS@assembly.state.ny.us
90th
Gantt, David F.
GanttD@assembly.state.ny.us
133rd
Gianaris, Michael N.
GianarM@assembly.state.ny.us
36th
Gibson, Vanessa L.
GibsonV@assembly.state.ny.us
77th
Giglio, Joe
GiglioJ@assembly.state.ny.us
149th
Glick, Deborah J.
GlickD@assembly.state.ny.us
66th
Gordon, Tim
GordonT@assembly.state.ny.us
108th
Gottfried, Richard N.
GottfriedR@assembly.state.ny.us
75th
Gunther, Aileen M.
GuntheA@assembly.state.ny.us
98th
Hawley, Stephen
HawleyS@assembly.state.ny.us
139th
Hayes, Jim
HayesJ@assembly.state.ny.us
148th
Heastie, Carl E.
HeastieC@assembly.state.ny.us
83rd
Hevesi, Andrew
HevesiA@assembly.state.ny.us
28th
Hikind, Dov
HikindD@assembly.state.ny.us
48th
Hooper, Earlene
18th
Hoyt, Sam
HoytS@assembly.state.ny.us
144th
Hyer-Spencer, Janele
HyerSpencerD@assembly.state.ny.us
60th
Jacobs, Rhoda
JacobsR@assembly.state.ny.us
42nd
Jaffee, Ellen
JaffeeE@assembly.state.ny.us
95th
Jeffries, Hakeem
JeffriesH@assembly.state.ny.us
57th
John, Susan V.
JohnS@assembly.state.ny.us
131st
Jordan, Tony
JordanJ@assembly.state.ny.us
112th
Kavanagh, Brian
KavanaghB@assembly.state.ny.us
74th
Kellner, Micah
KellnerM@assembly.state.ny.us
65th
Kolb, Brian M.
KolbB@assembly.state.ny.us
129th
Koon, David
KoonD@assembly.state.ny.us
135th
Lancman, Rory I.
LancmanR@assembly.state.ny.us
25th
Latimer, George S.
LatimeG@assembly.state.ny.us
91st
Lavine, Charles D.
LavineC@assembly.state.ny.us
13th
Lentol, Joseph R.
LentolJ@assembly.state.ny.us
50th
Lifton, Barbara
LiftonB@assembly.state.ny.us
125th
Lopez, Peter D.
LopezP@assembly.state.ny.us
127th
Lopez, Vito J.
LopezV@assembly.state.ny.us
53rd
Lupardo, Donna A.
LupardoD@assembly.state.ny.us
126th
Magee, William
MageeW@assembly.state.ny.us
111th
Magnarelli, William B.
MagnarW@assembly.state.ny.us
120th
Maisel, Alan
MaiselA@assembly.state.ny.us
59th
Markey, Margaret M.
MarkeyM@assembly.state.ny.us
30th
Mayersohn, Nettie
MayersN@assembly.state.ny.us
27th
McDonough, David G.
McDonoD@assembly.state.ny.us
19th
McEneny, John J.
McEnenJ@assembly.state.ny.us
104th
McKevitt, Tom
MckeviT@assembly.state.ny.us
17th
Meng, Grace
MengG@assembly.state.ny.us
22nd
Miller, Joel M.
MillerJ@assembly.state.ny.us
102nd
Miller, Michael
MillerMG@assembly.state.ny.us
38th
Millman, Joan L.
MillmaJ@assembly.state.ny.us
52nd
Molinaro, Marcus
MolinaroM@assembly.state.ny.us
103rd
Montesano, Michael
MontesanoM@assembly.state.ny.us
15th
Morelle, Joseph D.
morellej@assembly.state.ny.us
132nd
Murray, Dean
MurrayD@assembly.state.ny.us
3rd
Nolan, Catherine
NolanC@assembly.state.ny.us
37th
O'Donnell, Daniel J.
OdonnellD@assembly.state.ny.us
69th
O'Mara, Thomas F.
OmaraT@assembly.state.ny.us
137th
Oaks, Bob
OaksR@assembly.state.ny.us
128th
Ortiz, Félix
OrtizF@assembly.state.ny.us
51st
Parment, William L.
ParmenW@assembly.state.ny.us
150th
Paulin, Amy
PaulinA@assembly.state.ny.us
88th
Peoples-Stokes, Crystal D.
PeopleC@assembly.state.ny.us
141st
Perry, N. Nick
PerryN@assembly.state.ny.us
58th
Pheffer, Audrey I.
PheffeA@assembly.state.ny.us
23rd
Powell, IV, Adam Clayton
PowellA@assembly.state.ny.us
68th
Pretlow, J. Gary
PretloJ@assembly.state.ny.us
87th
Quinn, Jack
QuinnJ@assembly.state.ny.us
146th
Rabbitt, Annie
RabbitA@assembly.state.ny.us
97th
Raia, Andrew P.
RaiaA@assembly.state.ny.us
9th
Ramos, Phil
RamosP@assembly.state.ny.us
6th
Reilich, Bill
ReilicW@assembly.state.ny.us
134th
Reilly, Bob
ReillyR@assembly.state.ny.us
109th
Rivera, José
RiveraJ@assembly.state.ny.us
78th
Rivera, Naomi
RiveraN@assembly.state.ny.us
80th
Rivera, Peter M.
RiveraP@assembly.state.ny.us
76th
Robinson, Annette
RobinsonA@assembly.state.ny.us
56th
Rosenthal, Linda B.
RosentL@assembly.state.ny.us
67th
Russell, Addie J.
RussellA@assembly.state.ny.us
118th
Saladino, Joseph S.
SaladiJ@assembly.state.ny.us
12th
Sayward, Teresa R.
SaywarT@assembly.state.ny.us
113th
Scarborough, William
ScarboW@assembly.state.ny.us
29th
Schimel, Michelle
SchimelM@assembly.state.ny.us
16th
Schimminger, Robin
SchimmR@assembly.state.ny.us
140th
Schroeder, Mark J. F.
SchroeM@assembly.state.ny.us
145th
Scozzafava, Dede
ScozzaD@assembly.state.ny.us
122nd
Silver, Sheldon
Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
64th
Skartados, Frank K.
SkartadosF@assembly.state.ny.us
100th
Spano, Mike
SpanoM@assembly.state.ny.us
93rd
Stirpe, Al
StirpeA@assembly.state.ny.us
121st
Sweeney, Robert K.
Sweeney@assembly.state.ny.us
11th
Tedisco, James
TediscJ@assembly.state.ny.us
110th
Thiele, Jr., Fred W.
ThieleF@assembly.state.ny.us
2nd
Titone, Matthew
TitoneM@assembly.state.ny.us
61st
Titus, Michele R.
TitusM@assembly.state.ny.us
31st
Tobacco, Lou
TobaccoL@assembly.state.ny.us
62nd
Towns, Darryl C.
TownsD@assembly.state.ny.us
54th
Townsend, David R.
TownseD@assembly.state.ny.us
115th
Weinstein, Helene E.
41st
Weisenberg, Harvey
WeisenH@assembly.state.ny.us
20th
Weprin, David I.
24th
Wright, Keith L.T.
WrightK@assembly.state.ny.us
70th
Zebrowski, Kenneth
ZebrowskiK@assembly.state.ny.us
94th

Official NY State Fauna Resign In Protest To EPF Cuts

As Governor David Paterson continues to gut New York State environmental funding, the official state animals have handed in letters of resignation in protest to the reduction of the states environmental protection fund (EPF).

This is a move of obvious futility as these animals were out of jobs, homes, and food sources regardless, but the symbolism of the move should not be taken lightly.

The following are some Tweets from our faithful state fauna:




















On a more serious note, why should you care if the EPF is slashed to horrendously low levels on top of the DEC cuts? Like the DEC the EPF isn't just about wild lands, and just like my previous post about the DEC and it's role, the EPF winds up benefiting every family in New York whether they care or not. Some things are kinda like the light switch, you don't really care how it works or why it works, and you take for granted it does work right up till it doesn't work. That is the EPF!

The EPF is designed to protect wild land by buying it before it's developed. It also protects farmland and cleans up waste sites. You know that battery factory in your town that is seeping waste into your water supply? The EPF takes care of that problem so your children are born with somewhere around 10 fingers and 10 toes.

Now as far as farmland, I realize most urban New Yorker's really never thought about where their food comes from unless they are label readers, but most of your food actually comes from the state you live in. New York is a top 10 agricultural state in many areas, and in quite a few it's a top 5.

Imagine if all your food was trucked in from California or Florida how much it would cost? Luckily it doesn't have to be because you live in a state with fertile farmland. Even your "local" Walmart started to realize it could save more money buying local than it could buying solely in bulk when gas prices hit $4-5 a gallon. There is no guarantee that gas won't again hit that, and remember how much your food went up over that stretch!

So part of the EPF is protecting your food sources and cost, I bet you didn't realize that.

Interestingly, if the EPF suffers long term cuts it is speculated that this could put New York's not so long term ability to be an agricultural leader in jeopardy. So what you might ask? Well, I did note that New York was a top 10 agri state in almost every area of food production, imagine we knock our food production down across the board not only in New York but in all states, and allow our farmland to be turned into malls, housing developments, car dealerships, more unfilled retail space, etc. That all sounds good, but where do you think our food will come from?

Putting it another way, what is the United States biggest asset? Our ability to not only feed ourselves, but at times other parts of the world with excess for capacity. What would happen if the United States was no longer the most powerful agricultural nation in the world? What would happen if we could no longer feed our own nation?

Let me analogize this, one day, within 20 years in fact, it might be possible that we are as enslaved for our food as we are for our oil based energy grid and transportation systems. How do you feel about that?

Chenango County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board Chairman Don Franklin said if things don’t improve for the ag industry soon, the entire country could lack enough food in about 20 years.

“If we don’t keep ag viable ... if we don’t, I’m afraid to say that in 20 years down the road we are going to be facing a problem that we’ve never faced before. It’s going to be hunger,” he said.

Franklin is a former farmer and once served as a county supervisor. He was on hand at a meeting of the Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Committee on Monday to ramp up support for two resolutions that would urge state lawmakers to support New York’s dairy farmers.

...

The EPF faces a $69 million cut under Gov. David A. Paterson's 2010-2011 Executive Budget. A “No Farms No Food” rally was held on Wednesday in the state’s capitol to convince the Legislature to restore funding to previous levels.

-- Melissa deCordova, The Evening Sun (Chenango County)

In the age of consumerism people might have lost sight of the fact that water and food are still important things. The EPF assures that you have clean water and abundant food, which are still essential for human life and prosperity.

Once again, we need to contact people that count on our votes to do the right thing. Our farmland is a non renewable natural resource, once we use it up it is gone. New York is blessed to be not only a financial and cultural leader of the world, we are also an environmental and agricultural leader as well. So let your representatives know that we aren't going to stand for reductions in the long term safety and security of our state.


For more information:



http://www.keepprotectingny.org/



To contact your legislator:

http://assembly.state.ny.us/

http://www.nysenate.gov/