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Strategies that let us Punch above our weightCarol Hays, Executive DirectorPrairie Rivers Network

Prairie Rivers NetworkIllinois advocate for clean water and healthy riversonly Illinois organization with mission focused on water policy Illinois National Wildlife Federation affiliateOrganizational legacy of nearly 50 years8 staff members; 2 are communications staffMembership of nearly 1000Located in Champaign, IL with many members who are University of Illinois faculty

What We DoTranslateTranslate science into sound policy solutions that improve water qualityEducate Policy makers and publicMobilizeKey constituencies that will be effected by environmental threats and failure to enforce policiesAdvocate Adoption and enforcement of stronger state and federal policies to protect waterways, habitat and water quality

How We WorkWe collaborate to accomplish joint objectives to reduce point source pollution, non-point source agricultural pollution, restore wetlands and protect river habitats, improve river health and water quality for drinking and recreation across Illinois and the Mississippi River basin.We support national efforts to defend and expand protections of U.S. waters, reduce pollutants in waters and protect adjacent habitat.

Campaign ConsiderationsWhat is the goal? How does it advance our mission?Capacity limits us: policy levers, time, resources, expertise, partnersOur considerations for how to engage in a campaign:Is there a clear policy pathway to reach our goal? What does that pathway look like? Will it support our mission?What can we bring to the campaign? Do we have the expertise needed? Can we effectively partner with others who do to expand our impact? Can we influence the outcome?What is the timeframe? Do we have time to accomplish our goal?Do we have the resources we need to be successful in the timeframe?

Campaign may be just one stepA campaign may be just one step in a longer change processGoals may require change in both federal and state policiesGoals may require campaigns in multiple policy making arenas at the federal or state levels

Policy pathways are increasingly less clear, messy, harder to plan for

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2 Current Campaigns#4CleanWater Defending the EPAs Waters of the U.S. Rule

#StoptheLeveeStopping the expansion of the St. Johns New Madrid levee by the USACE in southeastern Missouri

WOTUS CampaignEncourage and support USEPA to release an rigorous rule in face of intense agriculture and business opposition Campaign led by NWF, NRDC, Sustainable Business Council and other national groups, unfolding in response to the changing policy and political landscapeWe made the choice to stay positive and values based in our roleWe brought voices of families and sustainable IL business and agriculture voices that support the rule

Social Media

#4cleanwater

Social MediaObjective: Communicate that business is for clean waterWe joined the #4cleanwater hashtag campaign to allow businesses to express their support for the rule through social mediaWe recruited Illinois businesses to participate on Twitter and Facebook, sharing the #4cleanwater hashtag Eventually hashtag campaign was picked up by Environment America and retweeted over 2000 times by students; 3,000,000 Twitter impressions

What we learned: Going viral isnt always desired. You can lose control of your message and your brand quickly, diluting its intended impact.

Compelling VisualsEffective social media relies on compelling visuals

People have short attention spans shorter than a goldfish

Compelling Authentic VoicesWe created videos that creatively communicate our positive message that clean water is important to families and kids

Water is life

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Water is Life

Creating An Alternative NarrativeWe created videos featuring Illinois business owners explaining why the rule is important to protect clean water for their communities, their customers, and their bottom lines.

Clean water is good for business!

Clean Water is Good for Business

Compelling Authentic VoicesWe shared the videos on Facebook and Twitter and encouraged others to share the videosWe Tweeted the video at USEPA

What we learned: USEPA uses social media, too!

The USEPA appreciated the video and featured it on their Clean Water Rule website the week the rule was published

Expanding Message ReachPrint media ads in D.C. publications feature a key advocate from the videoan Illinois farmerHe will make personal visits to key Senate members to encourage them to vote in support of the rule

Other Supportive VoicesNWF commissioned a poll of hunters and anglers Developed a media campaign to communicate poll resultsPRN tailored press releases to Illinois media that included quotes from Illinois hunters and anglers who support the ruleNational groups organized D.C. fly-ins of sportsmen supportive of the rule

Use Humor

We created a humorous Facebook meme to call out Senator Kirk, promotethe hashtag campaign and focus attention on a longer blog post about the issue

Taking the Fight to the CourtsStates Attorneys General are filing to stop the rule and in support of the ruleWe are working with a coalition of national, regional and state groups to encourage ILs Attorney General to join the 8 states in support of the rule on behalf of Illinois.

Lesson Learned: Elected AGs need political cover, too.They need to hear from their constituents.

Campaign to stop the New Madrid Levee permit by the USACERegional campaign to stop expansion of levee along the Mississippi River in SE MissouriLevee expansion would cut off critical fish spawning habitat, destroy wetlands important for migratory birds, put IL, MO, and KY communities at high risk for floodingMost agencies agree with the USACE which has said this levee is an economic dud with huge environmental consequences!

Policy StrategyPressure the USEPA to use its veto authority to override the USACE permit when it is issuedUSEPA has rarely used its veto authorityUSEPA can be pressured to use its veto authority by US Senators in affected states

We partnered with national groups to develop a campaign plan, worked in our regional coalitions to prioritize this issue and implement the plan

TacticsPartner with national groups and regional coalitions to develop a communications campaignSTOP the New Madrid Levee!Social MediaTwitter Thursday hashtag campaign #StoptheLeveeTweet messages highlighting the potential impacts of the levee to persuadable U.S. Senators in IL, MO, KY asking them to call for a USEPA vetoTweet messages to USEPA asking them to veto the permitWhat we learned: Over 80% of congressional staffers are on Twitter.Staff pay attention to Twitter messages targeting their boss, especially when you thank their boss directly in a tweet. Be sure to tweet that you are their constituent.

Compelling Visuals and VoicesWere creating a video of members of the Cairo community recalling in their own words the devastating impacts of the 2011 flood when the USACE waited too long to open the New Madrid floodway causing a downstream levee to breech, flooding Olive Branch, IL and threatening Cairo, IL

In Person Meetings Arranged in-person meeting for Cairo community members with Senator DurbinMeetings with Senate staff (Durbin, Kirk) in their state and in D.C. officesMeetings with state agency staff Meetings with professional associations (Floodplain Managers)

What we learned: State congressional staff and D.C. staff may prioritize and respond to issues and your requests differently. Its worth visiting both offices in person.

Its an Iterative ProcessA campaign plan can keep you and your partners focusedEven with a solid plan, new ideas emergePlan to be responsive to what is developing and assess windows of opportunity as they openGood, frequent communication with partners is KEYShow up and follow through

Current Results#StoptheLevee hashtag campaign: 1300+ tweets with over 3.3 million impressionsSen. Durbin has announced that he will call for the USEPA to veto the permit when it is released next yearAssociation of State Floodplain Managers called for the USEPA to veto the permit

Take-a-Ways: Social MediaTwitter is used by most congressional staffers and regularly monitored. Most legislators have a Facebook page and may even read it personally.Target members of Congress in your tweets and FB posts be sure to make a specific askUse a relevant, clear #hashtag and always include it in the tweet/postPlan for regular posts but vary the messageMobilize partners and constituent members to tweet with you by emailing them suggested tweetsthey dont have to be frequent Twitter users, they just need to tweet when you need them to and tweet at your target(s). Even a small number of tweets from constituents will get legislators attentionUse Twitter and Facebook to link to longer blogs or stories about your issue. Media may harvest stories from your feedFollow legislators Twitter and FB feeds and comment on posts relevant to your issue with your own message and #hashtagBe respectful. Say thank you on their feed when warranted.

There is still much to learnSocial media is a new tool in the campaign tool chestThere is still much to learn about its best uses and should be researchedEffective practices should be shared