A Florida county's government officials, upset with the environmental andhealth toll they claims phosphate mining has on the area, are using thecounty Web site to collect signatures from citizens against mining. While online petitions have been a staple among advocacy groups suchas student and neighborhood associations, a government soliciting onlinesignatures is notable, according to several experts in electronic democracy. He says most similar caseshe's heard about are outside the United States. Thepetitioners are urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct an environmentalimpact study on phosphate mining. Petitioners must submit their name, e-mail address, home address, city,state and zip code.
Comments are optional.
When the petition is signed,e-mail letters are automatically generated and sent to 14 individuals, includingGov. Jeb Bush, both U.S senators and two House representatives, as wellas other federal, state, and county officials. You've got this technologyright at your hands. Putting it to good use, that's the beauty of it. She said she hasn't heard yet fromany of the officials receiving the e-mailed petitions.