[Date]

Mr. John Donahue, Superintendent
Delaware Water Gat National Recreation Area
National Park Services Offices
Bushkill, PA 18423

Dear Mr. Donahue,

[The Pennsylvania Chapter, Sierra Club] has learned that there is a plan developing to build a Hotel and Conference Center on Depue Island in the Delaware River. Depue Island, now forested and undeveloped, is a natural asset to the Park and the river and an integral element of this part of the main stream Delaware. We are convinced that this development of Depue Island is not consistent with existing laws, regulations and plans. We ask that you take the necessary steps to insure that the special lands under your purview are protected from the proposed development. 

More specifically, we ask you to reject the proposed location of the multi-story hotel/conference center on Depue Island, including a commercial bridge to the island, because it:

* Is clearly in violation of the 1965 Act that created the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
* Violates the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (the Middle Delaware was included in this act in 1978)
* Is located in Delaware River Basin Commission's (DRBC) "Special Protection Waters" because of the high quality designation of the waters in that stretch
* Is located in the DRBC-classified "flood-way", due to its history of flooding both in naturally-occurring high water floods and when there are ice jams that back up water over the islands
* Possesses rich archaeological resources, as well as a variety of native wildlife and plant life, that National Recreation Area visitors regularly enjoy
* Is viewed by many thousands of river users and Appalachian Trail hikers

Hotels can be built in hundreds of places besides on islands found on a flood plain within a wild and scenic river within a National Recreation Area. Please consider purchasing Depue Island and forever protecting it from such unwise development.

Sincerely,
[Your Name and address]