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<h3><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-weight:normal'>Greetings! Please help support this Dear-Colleague letter
initiated by our friends at the Share Foundation and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">US-El</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Salvador Sister</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Cities</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. The deadline for
signers is this Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-weight:normal'>- CISPES National Office<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>****************************************<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>Support community efforts to halt gold mining in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>!
<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal;font-style:italic'>Contact your congressperson and
urge her/him to sign Rep. Michaud's letter to the Salvadoran Legislative
Assembly (text below)<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></h3>
<h1><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>Communities in rural <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> are being threatened by
mining exploration and extraction. These communities are gravely
concerned that mining activities-large-scale open-pit and subterranean
excavations using a cyanide extraction process-will exacerbate levels of
deforestation, pollute water supplies, contaminate air and soil, and
jeopardize locals' health. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>Late in 2006, the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) awarded $461 million to <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The MCC's stated goals include the reduction of poverty, promotion of
democratic, responsive institutions, and environmental preservation. <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
application for these funds emphasized assistance for small- and medium-sized
producers to expand their markets, the expansion of agricultural
production, and the creation of a "green zone" to attract
tourism. All funding will be channeled to the northern region of the
country (ie Chalatenango, Cabañas, Morazán, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Santa Ana</st1:City></st1:place>). <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>Yet the mining projects' potentially devastating effects,
which include water shortages, water, air and soil pollution, deforestation and
health risks, run counter to the MCC goals. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>It is also troubling that community demands for the right
to consultation on the uses of their lands have been met by the deployment
of the Salvadoran military to the area.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>The below letter, to be signed by members of the U.S.
House of Representatives, urges Salvadoran legislators to support a mining
reform bill that would ban metallic mineral mining in El Salvador. </span></font></b><font
size=3><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Approval of this reform law would
represent a major victory in the struggle to halt mining operations in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>--please
join us to help make this dream a reality!</span></font><font size=3><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></font></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>REQUEST<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>We ask you to email and call your congressperson (find
their contact information at <a
href="http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=8&url=http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml"
title="blocked::http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=8&url=http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml"><font
color=black
title="blocked::http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=8&url=http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml"><span
style='color:windowtext'>www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml</span></font></a>
) and urge her/him to sign on to the letter below. The deadline for
signature is Friday, February 23. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>To sign onto the letter, your representative should contact
Kim Thompson in Rep. Mike Michaud's office by phone (202-225-6306) or email
<<a href="mailto:Kim.Thompson@mail.house.gov" target="_blank"
title="blocked::mailto:Kim.Thompson@mail.house.gov"><font color=black
title="blocked::mailto:Kim.Thompson@mail.house.gov"><span style='color:windowtext'>Kim.Thompson@mail.house.gov</span></font></a>>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>WHEN YOU CALL<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>1. Identify yourself as a constituent and ask for the
legislative aide who covers foreign policy/Latin America/El Salvador.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>2. Introduce yourself and tell the aide who you
represent (a sister parish, a school, a committee, etc).<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>3. Ask the aide if s/he has seen Rep. Michaud's
Dear Colleague letter on mining in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Encourage
her/him to have the representative sign on. Explain that you don't
want mining to jeopardize U.S. Millennium Challenge Account development
funds in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>4. Offer to send her/him the Dear Colleague Letter if
s/he hasn't seen it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>5. Tell her/him how to contact Rep. Michaud's office,
and that the signing deadline is Feb. 23.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>6. Send an email to <a
href="mailto:tcl@share-elsalvador.org"
title="blocked::mailto:tcl@share-elsalvador.org"><font color=black
title="blocked::mailto:tcl@share-elsalvador.org"><span style='color:windowtext'>tcl@share-elsalvador.org</span></font></a> letting
us know that you called your representative, the name of the person you spoke
with, and whether or not the office will support the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p><strong><b><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic'>If you get a voice mail, leave
your name and contact information, ask that the representative support the Dear
Colleague letter, and request a telephone call back.</span></font></i></b></strong><i><span
style='font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For more
information and any questions, contact SHARE at 202.319.5542.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:bold'>THANK YOU for your action to halt mining in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>! Please spread the word
of this action among friends and colleagues.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>TEXT TO BE SHARED WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVE</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Dear Colleague,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We are
writing to ask you to co-sign the attached letter regarding the incompatibility
of mining operations with Millennium Challenge Account funds to <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
authorized by Congress. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
letter urges Salvadoran legislators to support a proposal to support a mining
reform bill before them that would ban metallic metal mining excavation.
Such projects are incompatible both with the purpose of the Millennium
Challenge Account and with the environmental guarantees the Government of El
Salvador proposed in its application for MCA funds.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>To sign
onto the letter, please contact Kim Thompson in Rep. Mike Michaud's office at 5-6306
or email Kim.Thompson@mail.house.gov. <strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">The
deadline for signing is Friday, February 23.</font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Michael H. Michaud, Member of Congress <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Jim
McDermott, Member of Congress <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Tammy
Baldwin, Member of Congress<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Michael
Capuano, Member of Congress <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>TEXT OF LETTER TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt'>February
2007<br>
Lic. Guillermo Antonio Gallegos Navarrete, ARENA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt'>Profesor
Salvador Sánchez Cerén, FMLN<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt'>Señor
Luis Roberto Angulo Samayoa, PCN<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt'>Coronel
Carlos Rolando Herrarte, PDC<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span lang=ES-SV style='font-size:12.0pt'>Dr.
Héctor Miguel Antonio Dada Hirezi, CD<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Dear
Sirs:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We are
writing to express our concern that funds allocated for the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> will fail to advance
MCC sustainable growth and development goals due to metallic mineral mining
activity proposed for the same region targeted by the compact. Proposed mining
activities are incompatible with the aims that the MCC and the Salvadoran
government have articulated in the compact and jeopardize the compact's
success. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>We write
to highlight our concerns and to ask for your serious consideration of the
mining reform law awaiting review by the Economic and Agricultural Commission
of the Legislative Assembly. This reform law would prohibit metallic mineral
mining in <st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region>,
thereby protecting the environmental integrity of northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> and helping to
safeguard the aims of MCC funding.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>El Salvador</span></font></st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
compact with the MCC includes funds to support agricultural reactivation and
ecotourism in the northern region of the country. The compact proposal
specifically noted the "transcendental importance" of the environment
and of human development to the success of the compact.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Over the
past year, the Salvadoran government has awarded 30 licenses for metal
exploration and one license for metal exploitation (extraction) to mining
companies from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region>, the <st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>, and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place>. We believe that metallic
mineral mining activity is incompatible with agricultural reactivation and
ecotourism because of its negative effects on the environment and on Salvadoran
society. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Through
communities in some of our congressional districts which are partnered with
affected Salvadoran communities, we are aware that the local population is
alarmed about these effects and has made clear its strong opposition to
prospective mining projects in their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>These
negative effects include:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>•
Water shortages: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
suffers from chronic water shortages of water, yet it is estimated that 200,000
liters of water a day will be needed for the mineral extraction process. Water
shortages are poised to become a potential source of conflict and social
upheaval in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<br>
• Increased deforestation: In 2005, the United Nations Development
Program ranked <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
as the most highly deforested country in the world. Open pit and/or
subterranean mining will destroy precious trees and woods vital to the
ecotourism and agricultural plans of the MCC compact. <br>
• Water pollution: Most mining activities will occur in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lempa</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River
basin</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Not only does the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lempa</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType> provide water to the northern
region of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
but it also supplies an estimated 30% of the drinking water to the capital
city. The cyanide-based process that separates mineral from rock will pollute
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lempa</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> and secondary rivers flowing from
it, risking the health of people and animals using the rivers' water for
consumption and irrigation, compromising agricultural, fishing, and cattle
raising land use, and threatening the proposed "green zone" envisaged
in the MCC compact. <br>
• Health issues: Mineral extraction will pollute the air with toxic
mercury, cyanide and sulfur dioxide gases. Theses gases have been linked to
pulmonary and respiratory illnesses, cancer, miscarriages, fetal deformities
and are known to cause headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, skin problems, and
vertigo.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>These
effects are directly contrary to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s Millennium Challenge
Account proposal which states that "inhabitants in the Northern Zone will
benefit from having access to potable water and sanitation services... reduced
incidence of illness, reduced health care costs, diminished time to obtain
water, reduced costs for water, and reduced harm to the environment."
(p.10 Summary of the Proposal for Financial Support from the Millennium
Challenge Corporation May 2006).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
threat of metallic mineral mining jeopardizing the success of sustainable
development plans for northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El
Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> can be halted now, before
extraction advances. We urge you and your colleagues to carefully consider the
legislation that would prohibit metallic mineral mining in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Thank you
for your attention and consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
Michael H. Michaud, Member of Congress<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Jim
McDermott, Member of Congress <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Tammy
Baldwin, Member of Congress<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Michael
Capuano, Member of Congress<font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
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