HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.

Now, more than ever, we need your help. Our champions have introduced amendments to the climate bill, to address our concerns. If these amendments are not approved, family forest owners will have a VERY difficult time accessing these new and emerging carbon and energy markets created by the climate bill.

We need your help to get these amendments passed on the House floor.

Please CALL your Representatives in the House and ask them to support the amendments outlined below to the climate bill, HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. For contact information click here.

VOTES ON THESE AMENDMENTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE HOUSE TOMORROW AND INTO SATURDAY-PLEASE MAKE YOUR CALLS BEFORE NOON, FRIDAY, JUNE 26^TH.

Please urge your Representatives to:

Vote YES on the PETERSON Agriculture Amendment: this amendment is critical to ensuring family forest owners can participate in both energy and carbon markets!

Talking points:

• guarantees that forest offset market opportunities will be created for family forest owners, including working forest management projects.
• ensures USDA will have a strong role in the implementation of the offset markets for forests.
• ensures "early actors" will be rewarded for their good activity.
• allows all biomass from family forests to be used to meet the Renewable Electricity and Renewable Fuels Standards, fixing the flawed definition in the original Waxman-Markey bill and the 2007 Energy bill, while still ensuring a backstop, to address forest sustainability concerns.

Vote YES on the PINGREE Forest Carbon Incentives Amendment: this amendment creates an incentives program to reward family forest owners who undertake "carbon friendly" activities. The amendment is very similar to the bill HR 2880, introduced last week by Reps Pingree (D-ME), Shuler (D-NC), Schrader (D-OR), Hodes (D-NH), and Michaud (D-ME). For talking points click here .

Please CALL your Representatives in the House. At this point, calls are the most effective tool. Simply ask to speak with the staff handling the climate legislation.

Please report positive responses to us-so we can determine the vote count.

For an overview of AFF's position on HR 2454 click here.

Thanks for your continued help.

--Rita

Rita Neznek

Vice President, Public Affairs

American Forest Foundation

202.463.2594

rneznek@forestfoundation.org