Response from Senator Patty Murray

As you’re probably aware, a week or so ago I sent an email to Sen. Patty Murray asking her to endorse Barack Obama. I finally got a response today. Here it is:

Dear Mr. Adams:

Okay, she got my name right. So far so good.

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for protecting the environment. It was good to hear from you.

Wait, what? I wrote to you about Barack Obama, not the environment!

In the last 25 years, we have made great progress in protecting our environment and reducing pollution with laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. I believe our environmental laws are generally working well. I do not favor rewriting these important statutes, but hope we can improve them so we can keep protecting our natural world and human health.

Um, okay. I agree, but why are you talking about this? I’ve written you three times in my life, and not one of them has ever been about the environment.

As you may know, I first introduced the Wild Sky Wilderness Act in 2002. Under the Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2007 (S. 520/H.R. 886), 106,577 acres of Forest Service land in eastern Snohomish County, including tens of thousands of acres of low-elevation old growth forest and 25 miles of salmon streams, will be designated as wilderness. If passed, Wild Sky will be the first wilderness area in Washington in more than 20 years. This bill has been reported favorably out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and currently awaits Senate floor action.

For five years, I worked to pass legislation to protect the Hanford Reach, a remarkable 51-mile stretch of the Columbia River. I was pleased that this area was officially named a National Monument by President Clinton on June 9, 2000. This designation will aid in salmon stock recovery and ensure families continue to enjoy recreational activities on the Columbia River. In addition, I am also working to restore threatened and endangered salmon stocks elsewhere in the state, and taking action to prevent other declining stocks from further deterioration.

I have consistently been opposed to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). During the Senate energy debates, I have voted against amendments to open ANWR to oil and gas exploration. ANWR consists of 19 million acres in northeast Alaska that was first designated in 1960. In 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act prohibited oil and gas exploration in ANWR without Congressional authorization. I believe we need to protect this valuable wildlife habitat from development and find alternatives to our energy crisis.

Please know I have persistently been a strong supporter of efforts to address global climate change and to reduce air pollution. I believe the science now supports reducing emissions and increasing forest conservation. I support an international climate change treaty that respects the legitimate concerns of the United States and addresses the potential impacts on the earth’s climate of fossil fuel consumption, deforestation, and industrial production.

As a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees, I have worked hard to ensure our public health and environmental laws are fully funded. In the 110th Congress, I will continue to work in the Senate to protect the environment. Washington state’s quality of life is greatly enhanced by strong and healthy ecosystems, and preserving these systems will continue to be a special priority for me.

Seriously, what does this have to do with Barack Obama? It sounds more like a form letter to get me to vote for you (in 2010) than anything that comes even remotely near addressing my email to you. Did you even read it? Do you ever read anything that people send you?

Once again, thank you for contacting me and please stay in touch. As the Senate addresses environmental issues during the 110th Congress I will keep your thoughts in mind. If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please sign up for my weekly update at http://murray.senate.gov/updates.

What thoughts of mine will you be keeping in mind?

I hope all is well in Bellevue.

Well, at least you read the part about me living in Bellevue. But right now all is not well. I apparently have a senator representing me in Washington who doesn’t even listen to her constituents! That’s giving me serious misgivings as to whether or not I want to vote for you again in 2010, if I’m still living in this state.