In 2005, the Endangered Species Coalition enlisted M+R’s help to respond when the U.S. House passed a bill to seriously weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). M+R helped keep the bill out of the Senate and off the President’s desk by building broad grassroots support for the ESA, including:
Organizing influential constituents to target their representatives and voice their opposition to weakening the ESA;
- Bringing conservation organizations together with non-traditional allies such as businesses and religious leaders to defeat the House bill;
- Mobilizing advocates to sign a campaign petition, send letters to Congress and come to D.C. to attend Department of Interior field hearings; and
- Organizing grasstops spokespeople to publish op-eds in key states.
The campaign generated 21 influential op-eds; more than 20 news stories and editorials on the radio, TV and in print; three city proclamations defending the ESA; and nine Congressional district meetings generating support for protecting the Act. The effort prevented the House bill from advancing before the close of the 109th Congress, maintaining strong protections for the nation’s endangered and threatened species!
For more information, please contact Derek Goldman at M+R Montana, dgoldman@mrss.com, or Ryan Manion at M+R Oregon, rmanion@mrsspdx.com.
