<Date>
<Recipient’s Address>

Dear <Recipient’s name>,

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are among the most toxic and environmentally detrimental chemicals on the planet.  These man-made chemicals, most of them intentionally produced for use as pesticides or in industrial processes, are highly resistant to degradation, they bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of organisms, and they are easily transported long distances through the atmosphere.  As a result, residues of many POPs can be found in almost all corners of the globe – in the air, water, soil, wildlife, and in virtually every human being on the planet.  Exposure to POPs has been linked to health problems such as immune deficiencies, dermal effects, reproductive impairment, neurotoxicity, behavioral abnormalities, and cancer in both wildlife and humans.
While steps have previously been taken in many countries, including our own, to ban or restrict the most harmful POPs, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Chemicals, which will become legally binding on May 17, 2004, marks a radical move in eliminating POPs on a global scale.  While President Bush has shown his support of the Convention, signing it in 2001 and speaking proudly of his commitment to it, he and his administration have recently begun drafting FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) legislation that would impede the EPA in regulating chemicals identified as POPs under the treaty, and essentially undermine the whole purpose and spirit of the Convention.  The Bush Administration most likely plans to run this legislation through Congress as quickly as possible, to ensure a seat at the first Conference of Parties (COP) in April of 2005 (only Parties who have ratified the treaty 90 days prior to the COP may participate).
I urge you to oppose this new legislation, and insist that the only amendments added to FIFRA and TSCA are those that fulfill the requirements of the Stockholm Convention and allow the EPA to work towards achieving the goals set forth in the treaty.
Thank you for your time and response,

<Your Name>