Legislative Approaches
Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA)
The Indiana Conservation Alliance is our ally in promoting conservation of Indiana’s precious natural areas. INCA provides a unified voice for the protection and wise use of natural resources to enhance our quality of life.
The main event of this loosely organized consortium is their annual Conservation Day at the Statehouse, which falls in late January or early February.
INCA members include: Amos W. Butler Audubon Society • Central Indiana Land Trust • Central Indiana Wilderness Club • Eagle Creek Park Foundation – Citizens Advisory Committee • Hoosier Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society • Hoosier Environmental Council • Hoosier Heartland RC&D • Hoosier Hikers Council • Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts • Indiana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society • Indiana Chapter of The Wildlife Society • Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association • Indiana Lakes Management Society • Indiana Land Protection Alliance • Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society • Indiana Organic Gardeners Association • Indiana Park & Recreation Association • Indiana Recycling Coalition • Indiana Society of American Foresters • Indiana State Council of Pheasants Forever • Indiana Urban Forest Council • Indiana Wildlife Federation • Izaak Walton League • National Audubon Society • Oxbow, Inc. • Save the Dunes Conservation Fund • Sierra Club • Sycamore Land Trust • Sycamore Trails RC&D • The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Day at the Statehouse
Elected officials respond to the concerns of their constituents. They need to hear from you how important conservation programs are to you and your family. An easy and fun way to act on your principles is to come to INCA’s Conservation Day at the State House.
Surrounded by the many like-minded individuals in INCA member organizations, you’ll gain ample moral support to engage with your state senators and representatives about the need to fund conservation. It’s also a great way to network as you visit the various organizations’ displays. You’ll find an INPAWS booth among them, staffed by our Conservation Committee.
If you cannot come to meet with your legislator in person, please make your views known in a letter or an email.
For more about Conservation Day, contact Angela Hughes at ahughes@tnc.org or 317-951-8818.
INCA Legislative Priorities 2011
Indiana Conservation Alliance’s seventh annual Conservation Day at the Indiana Statehouse once again engaged Indiana legislators in conversation about conservation. Governor Daniels was on the agenda to talk about the importance of DNR’s new initiative focusing on the Wabash River.
Each year almost 30 organizations that make up the Alliance zero in on areas where they hope to influence legislation during the current session. INCA’s 2011 legislative priorities include:
1. $1 million per year funding for the Indiana Heritage Trust, the state’s only dedicated land acquisition program for conservation. This visionary program sets aside important lands for state and local parks, Fish and Wildlife Areas, Nature Preserves, State Recreation Areas, and Historic Sites.
2. $500,000 per year funding for Clean Water Indiana, created to protect and enhance the quality of Indiana’s lakes, rivers, and streams by reducing the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering surface and ground water. The program provides technical expertise to help urban and rural property owners complete projects that conserve soil and water.
3. Passage of legislation to create a Sustainable Natural Resources Task Force. The Task Force will complete a programmatic and funding needs assessment of natural resources and will report to the Natural Resources Study Committee.
4. Passage of legislation to restrict the use of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers. Phosphorus, a nutrient necessary for plant growth, causes a number of ecological problems at excessively high concentrations. Phosphorus-polluted run-off into waterways and reservoirs throughout the state greatly contributes to the spread of blue-green algae blooms, which can produce toxins and make water unsafe.
5. Passage of legislation to authorize local governments to issue PACE bonds, an innovative mechanism for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. With PACE financing, no up-front costs are incurred and the property owners’ annual energy savings typically exceed the annual property tax add-on for the bonds.
INPAWS members are urged to call, write, and visit their state senators and representatives to underscore their support for conservation, with particular emphasis in these five areas. For more information, contact INCA Coordinator Angela Hughes at The Nature Conservancy, www.tnc.org.
Persuading Your Legislator
If you’ve never tried to influence your legislator face-to-face, you may feel a bit timid. To make the most of your lobbying time, here are some tips shared during a Conservation Day training session.
1. Have a 5-minute action plan. That’s all the time you’ll have to speak with a member of the General Assembly in the hall, or 15 minutes at most in their office. Know beforehand which issue you will raise first, second, and third. Be prepared to state your most important points before an interruption cuts your meeting short.
2. Speak plainly. Don’t tax your listener with unfamiliar jargon and acronyms. Make it easy for them to understand you.
3. Make a personal connection. Before meeting, do a little research to find something you and the legislator have in common. Did you grow up in the same community? Attend the same college? Noting similarities breaks down the natural barriers that exist when meeting someone for the first time.
4. Don’t do all the talking. Ask an occasional question to be sure your listener is “getting it” and is actively engaged in the conversation.
5. State your request clearly. A pleasant chat may leave you feeling good, but it’s not effective if the listener is left wondering what the point was. If you want your legislator to support specific funding in the budget, state that early in the conversation.
6. Don’t be too democratic. If you partner with others when talking to the legislator, decide beforehand who in the group will be the chief spokesperson. Not everyone has to speak!
7. Follow up for success. Mail a thank you letter immediately after your visit, including any additional information that was requested. You can continue to send useful information such as fact sheets and news clippings throughout the session, and even when the legislature is not in session. Your initial meeting is only the beginning. Develop a relationship for the future.