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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>I wanted to make certain that you were aware that </FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><EM><STRONG>The Sustainable Sites Initiative Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008</STRONG></EM> is available for download <FONT size=2>at <A href="http://www.sustainablesites.org/">www.sustainablesites.org</A> </FONT>and open for public comment until Jan 20, 2009. You may have received this, but you represent an important constituent so I wanted to make certain of your participation. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>This is the result of countless hours of research by a diverse group and represents the potential to change the design, construction, and maintenance of the built landscape. <FONT color=#000000> </FONT><FONT color=#0000ff>But to be ultimately successful, we need you to </FONT><FONT color=#0000ff>agree to be an active participant of the public comment period at <FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#800000><A href="http://www.sustainablesites.org/review">www.sustainablesites.org/review</A> </FONT>. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>Also <STRONG>please share the report link </STRONG><A href="http://www.sustainablesites.org/"><STRONG>www.sustainablesites.org</STRONG></A><STRONG> and public comment request</STRONG> <STRONG>with your colleagues, peers and professional organizations</STRONG>. We want to insure a broad based and wide group of respondents. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>Thank you again and we look forward to your comments and feedback.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff>Ray </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face="Charlemagne Std"><STRONG><FONT size=2>Ray Mims</FONT><BR></STRONG></FONT><FONT face="Charlemagne Std" size=1>Conservation Horticulture<BR><STRONG><FONT size=2>United States Botanic Garden</FONT></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Charlemagne Std" size=1>245 First Street, SW</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Charlemagne Std" size=1>Washington, DC 20024</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2>Visit </FONT><A href="http://www.sustainablesites.org/"><FONT size=2>www.sustainablesites.org</FONT></A><FONT size=2> to download the SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE GUIDELINES AND PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS DRAFT 2008 released for public comment as of November 10, 2008.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: Webdings">P</SPAN><SPAN> <STRONG><EM><FONT color=#008000>Save a tree ! Please don't print this email.</FONT></EM></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','sans-serif'"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>