1

Attachment 8: Preview Letter to Mail Survey Recipients

Dear Resident:

I am writing to let you know about an important survey about the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding 

watershed (the area where water eventually drains into the Chesapeake Bay). The Chesapeake Bay is the 

largest estuary in North America and the third largest in the world. 

This survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, will help policy makers from the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency and state governments better understand your opinions about programs that would 

affect the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 

Your address was randomly selected to receive a survey about these programs as part of a regional 

sample of households. <Although your address is outside the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, we still 

would like your opinions.> <Your address is inside the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and we would like 

your opinions.>

Sometime in the next few weeks you will receive the survey booklet by mail. Your participation is

completely voluntary and there are no penalties for not answering any questions. Your answers will be 

kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. 

Even if you are not familiar with the Chesapeake Bay, your help is essential to ensure that the survey 

results are as complete and accurate as possible. We cannot send this survey to everyone, so your 

answers will represent the opinions of other residents in your state who are similar to you and your 

household. 

Please keep in mind that by quickly returning your completed survey you will be helping to keep down

the costs of collecting this information.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this project. 

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME], [INSERT TITLE]

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Economics
2

Attachment 9: Cover Letter to Mail Survey Recipients

Dear Resident:

You recently received a letter informing you that your household was selected at random to receive a 

survey about new programs affecting the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. You were selected for this 

survey because, as a resident who lives <inside> <outside> the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, your 

opinions are important. The survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, accompanies this letter. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state governments are considering new programs that 

could affect water quality, aquatic wildlife and recreation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These 

programs differ in their outcomes and their costs. 

The purpose of this survey is to collect information policy makers will use to make decisions about these 

programs. It should take 15 to 20 minutes of your time. This survey...

Asks about your experiences and opinions relating to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Describes current conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Watershed.

Presents different options for improving conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the 

Watershed, and asks which of these options you would vote for. 

We need your opinions. Your responses to this survey will help inform policy decisions. Please take 

the time to read the information in this survey and answer the questions carefully. 

All answers to the survey will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. Once we have 

received your survey, we will delete your name from all lists, so that your responses can never be traced 

back to you. Of course, your participation is voluntary. 

Thank you for your assistance in this project. We would greatly appreciate if you could complete and 

return the survey using the prepaid envelope in the next week.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME], [INSERT TITLE]

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Economics
3

Attachment 10: Post Card Reminder to Mail Survey Recipients

FRONT

BACK

OMB Control No. xxxx-xxxx

Last week a survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, was mailed to you 

concerning new programs affecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and 

lakes in the Watershed. If you have already returned your completed 

survey, please accept our sincere thanks. 

If you have not yet completed your survey, we ask that you please do so 

today. As a resident who lives <inside> <outside> the Watershed, you are 

one of a select few who have been chosen to participate. Your answers will 

help us understand your opinions about these new programs. 

If you did not receive the survey or it was misplaced, please contact TBD at 

(###) ###-#### or xxx@xxx and we will send a replacement today. 

Regards, 

[INSERT NAME]

Environmental Protection Agency

United States Last week a survey was mailed to you concerning

Environmental Protection Agencyand government regulatiNortheast 

Washington, DC 20460 you have already returned your completed 

Mail Code XXX our sincere thanks. 
4

Attachment 11: Cover Letter to Recipients of the Second Survey Mailing

Dear Resident:

Within the last few weeks a survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, was sent to you about new 

programs affecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. 

If you have already returned your completed survey, please disregard this letter. Otherwise, please

complete the enclosed survey and return it using the prepaid envelope.

You are one of a select few who have been chosen to participate. You were selected for this survey 

because, as a resident who lives <inside> <outside> the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, your opinions 

are important to policy makers. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state governments are considering new programs that 

could affect water quality, aquatic wildlife and recreation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These 

programs differ in their outcomes and their costs. 

The purpose of this survey is to collect information policy makers will use to make decisions about these 

programs. It should take 15 to 20 minutes of your time. This survey...

Asks about your experiences and opinions relating to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Describes current conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Watershed.

Presents different options for improving conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the 

Watershed, and asks which of these options you would vote for. 

We need your opinions. Your responses to this survey will help inform policy decisions. Please take 

the time to read the information in this survey and answer the questions carefully. 

All answers to the survey will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. Once we have 

received your survey, we will delete your name from all lists, so that your responses can never be traced 

back to you. Of course, your participation is voluntary. 

Thank you for your assistance in this project. We would greatly appreciate if you could complete and 

return the survey using the prepaid envelope in the next week.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME], [INSERT TITLE]

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Economics
5

Attachment 12: Reminder Letter to Recipients of the Second Survey Mailing

Dear Resident:

Within the last week a survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, was mailed to you concerning 

programs affecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Through a random process, your address was selected to receive the survey. If you have not yet 

completed your survey, we ask that you please do so today. You are one of a select few who have been 

chosen to participate. As a resident who lives <inside> <outside> the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, your 

opinions are extremely important to policy makers, and are needed to ensure that the survey results are 

complete and accurate. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state governments are considering new programs that 

could affect water quality, aquatic wildlife and recreation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These 

programs differ in their outcomes and their costs. 

The purpose of this survey is to collect information policy makers will use to make decisions about these 

programs. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes of your time. This survey...

Asks about your experiences and opinions relating to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Describes current conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the Watershed.

Presents different options for improving conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in the 

Watershed, and asks which of these options you would vote for. 

We need your opinions. Your responses to this survey will help inform policy decisions. Please take 

the time to read the information in this survey and answer the questions carefully. 

All answers to the survey will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. Once we have 

received your survey, we will delete your name from all lists, so that your responses can never be traced 

back to you. Of course, your participation is voluntary. 

We thank you for your assistance in this project. We would greatly appreciate if you could return the 

completed survey using the prepaid envelope in the near future. If you have misplaced your survey, 

please contact TBD at (###) ###-### or XXX@XXX for a replacement.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME], [INSERT TITLE]

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Economics
6

Attachment 13: Cover Letter to Recipients of the Mail Non-response Questionnaire

Dear Resident:

Within the last week a survey, The Future of the Chesapeake Bay, was mailed to you concerning new 

programs affecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas. Through a random 

process, your address was selected to receive the survey. Our records indicate that you did not return the 

completed survey. 

While we are no longer asking that you complete the full survey, a brief questionnaire is enclosed with 

this letter. It should take no more than 5 minutes of your time. Also included is a small token of our 

appreciation which is yours to keep.

You were selected for this study because you are a resident who lives <inside> <outside> the 

Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Your answers to the questionnaire will help policy makers from the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency and state governments better understand opinions about programs

which would affect water quality, aquatic wildlife, and recreation in the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in 

the Chesapeake Watershed. By filling out this survey, you will be participating in an important study 

that will help policy makers understand your opinions about these programs. 

Your responses to this questionnaire are extremely important to ensure that the results are complete and 

accurate. All answers to the survey are kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. Once we have 

received your survey, we will delete your name from all lists, so that your responses can never be traced 

back to you. Of course, your participation is voluntary and you may refuse to answer any or all 

questions. 

We thank you for your assistance in this project. We would greatly appreciate if you could return the 

survey in the next several days.

Sincerely,

[INSERT NAME], [INSERT TITLE]

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Economics