*The following contains REVISED UP TO THE MINUTE CONTACTS as of July 12, 2000 with blue underlined direct links to the latest SAVE THE MATTAPONI websites.
Please copy this email and send it to every one concerned that you know!*

Dear Friends,

Please help save the last pristine freshwater eco-system on the entire East Coast!
The very last!!!

Right now this very minute in Virginia, the city of Newport News and Governor Warner are trying to destroy the last remaining pristine freshwater eco-system on the entire East Coast of America and the cleanest river left in the state. There is still time to save this place but the clock is ticking and we need your email voice!

The Army Corps of Engineers ( Perhaps the best dambuilders in the world. ) have looked at the project extensively and said Newport News wouldn't even need the water for another 50 years or more and even then the figures they were basing the reservoir on were nearly twice the amount of water they actually needed. Besides that, the water when needed could be obtained among several other more cost-effective, eco-friendly and productive long range options.

The reservoir if built will destroy 2,000 acres of the Cohoke valley and flood 500 acres of pristine wetlands which also happen to contain several endangered species, plus both the Mattaponi and Pamunkey indian reservations, and the grave of Pocahontas' father Great Chief Powhatan.

The only reason the area is still pristine and unspoiled now is because it's always been protected as private indian reservation land and being extremely swampy, nobody else ever wanted it until now, which is probably why the indians were able to keep it this long to begin with. The dam would also virtually kill off the shad population in the area and end shad fishing there forever along with a way of life for the Mattaponi and Pamunkey indians older than America itself.

Why is Governor Warner pursuing this project when so much is at stake and other better options are available? Could campaign contributions from special interest groups, corrupt officials and greedy developers possibly figure into any of this?

What do you think? What do you want to see happen?

Right now this very minute a media war is being waged to stop this proposed reservoir and the best way you can help is to simply email Gov. Warner, President Bush and everyone else you know. It won't cost but a moment of your time and could make all the difference in the world. For more information and to make your voice count;

or click here: Office of the Governor, Mark Warner

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/

and let him know that you are AGAINST the Cohoke Reservoir and want to Save the Mattaponi River Wetlands!

also contact:
Save The Mattaponi Project
Sierra Club - Virginia Chapter
http://virginia.sierraclub.org/
Email Julie Jones at: jcjsierra@prodigy.net
or contact Julie or Glen Besa at the Sierra Club's Richmond, Virginia office at 804-225-9113

Mattaponi Indian Reservation
http://www.baylink.org/Mattaponi/
Mattaponi Indian Reservation
Rt. 2 Box 240, West Point, VA 23181
Chief Carl Custalow, 804-769-4508
Mattaponi Heritage Foundation Donations

the Assateague Indians Mattaponi Resources
http://www.VirginiaIndians.com/mataponi.htm

Pamunkey Indian Home Page
http://www.baylink.org/Pamunkey/
Pamunkey Indian Reservation
Rt. 1, Box 2220
King William, VA 23086
Chief Bill Miles, 804-843-4740
( Where Pocahontas' father Great Chief Powhatan is buried. )
Pamunkey Indian Museum 804-843-4792

MATTAPONI RIVER PHOTOS
http://images.amrivers.org/objects/view.acs?object_id=2352

Webmasters note: The photos are nice, BUT I had a terrible time trying to get there.
My browser (Mozilla Firefox) did not freeze but half the time the pages would not resolve.
So you're on your own. It's worth a try. Maybe it was just bad timing for me.