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by Pat McKenna, Executive Committee Chair
 On February 25th, I was among
a group of about 150 Great Lakes lobbyists to visit the senate
and congressional offices of representatives from Ohio, Michigan,
Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. I’d like
to thank the NEO Sierra Group for supporting this effort.
We campaigned on the following issues:
- Clean Water Restoration Act which is soon to be introduced
to Congress
- HR 669: Non-native wildlife invasion prevention act. Asked
for co-sponsors
- Great Lakes Legacy Act. Requested funding be increased to
$150 million
Along with four others, I personally visited the offices of Senator
Sherrod Brown, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (10th District), and
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (11th District), and found this, my
first time to lobby, a very informational and rewarding experience – not
to mention EXCITING!
I urge you to volunteer for lobby days when called upon. You’ll
never forget the experience and will feel proud to have done
something to make a difference! I know I'll feel great if even
one of our
issues passes! Go ahead – get involved! Sign up on our website's "Get
Active" form!
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The City of Cleveland's 
Do you know of a local environmental issue in need
of attention? Do you have inside information on what's
going on in your city or township? With over 5,000
members in Northeast Ohio we count on you to be the
Club's eyes and ears of the region. While the Federal
government and large corporations continue to wreak
havoc on our environment, it is more important than
ever before to act as watchdogs in our own backyards.
For those new to
calling state or federal representatives, it's easier and
less confrontational than it sounds. You will never
speak directly with your rep or senator - an aide
will answer the phone, take brief notes plus your name and city (sometimes), and that's it.