Contacting your elected officials about protecting wildlands is your right and one of the most important ways to help conserve wildlands. Below are ways to find and contact your elected officials and heads of governmental offices.
Federal Government
Contact the President Find your US Senators Find your US Representatives
Federal Departments
| Council on Environmental Quality | www.whitehouse.gov/ceq |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | www.usda.gov |
| –U.S. Forest Service | www.fs.fed.us |
| —Southern Reg Forester | www.fs.usda.gov/r8 |
| —-Cherokee National Forest | www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee |
| U.S. Department of Interior | www.doi.gov |
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | www.fws.gov |
| –USFWS SE Regional Director | www.fws.gov/southeast/ |
| —Field Supervisor | www.fws.gov/cookeville/ |
| National Park Service | www.nps.gov |
| –Big South Fork NRRA | www.nps.gov/biso |
| –Obed Wild and Scenic River | www.nps.gov/obed |
| Office of Surface Mining | www.osmre.gov |
| –Acting Field Office Dir | www.arcc.osmre.gov/about/states/tn.shtm |
| Environmental Protection Agency | www.epa.gov |
| –Reg 4 Admin | www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-epa-region-4-southeast |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | www.tva.gov |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | www.usace.army.mil/ |
| –Nashville District | www.lrn.usace.army.mil/ |
State Government
Contact the Governor of TN Find your TN legislatorsState Departments
| Department of Environment & Conservation | www.tn.gov/environment/contacts.html |
TN Committees of Interest
| “Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources” | www.capitol.tn.gov/senate/committees/energy-ag-nr.html |
| “House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources” | www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/agriculture.aspx |
Tips for Communication
- Address recipient as Dear Mr. President, Dear Mr. or Madame Secretary, Dear Sen., Dear Rep.
- Make your communication legible. Original letters are better than form letters.
- Mail to the U.S. Congress is very slow. It’s better to fax, e-mail, or phone. If you send a letter, it’s better to send it to the local office.
- Be brief, and refer to a bill by name or number.
- Give a reason for your request. Personal experiences are effective.
- Ask your official for his/her position on an issue.
- Put your complete name and address in your letter, since envelopes are trashed.
- Copy your legislators on any committee or departmental correspondence.
- Thank public officials and legislators when they support your position.
- Consider sending a copy of your message to the Letters to the Editor column of your local paper, perhaps introducing it with “[The issue] is of major concern to the people of this region. I have sent the following letter to __.”
