One-third of state legislature supports Community Rights Amendment; momentum building to advance rights
A Press Release from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, from March 16, 2018.
Yesterday, the New Hampshire House debated and voted on CACR19, the NH Community Rights Amendment, which received one-third of the legislators’ support. This is the first Community Rights state constitutional amendment considered by a state legislature, signifying the growing support for Community Rights that is building across the U.S. Similar state amendments are advancing as citizen initiatives in Ohio and Oregon.
Community Rights is growing as communities across the country face harmful corporate projects such as fracking, pipelines, high-tower electrical transmission lines, and landfills. These projects are forced into towns against the will of the people due to corporate claimed “rights” and state preemption.
In response, communities are partnering with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) to draft Community Rights laws. Community Rights includes democratic rights to local community self-government, and environmental rights to clean air, water, and soil. The laws elevate these rights above corporate claimed “rights” and state preemption. Nearly 200 communities across the U.S. have worked with CELDF to draft and advance rights-based laws. Today, through statewide Networks, residents are driving Community Rights to the state level. MORE…