Oregon has its first-ever local Community Rights ordinance win – in a rural conservative-leaning county on the central coast. The Citizens for a Healthy County campaign to ban aerial spraying of pesticides received nothing but opposition from their local Newport government and from their elected county government, and they were massively outspent by a corporate campaign drenched in lies, but the public voted yes anyway, by just 61 votes. Wow! Good job, Lincoln County! Here’s the campaign’s official press release announcing the win.
Newport, Oregon: A majority of voters who returned to sign unsigned ballots approved Measure 21-177, bringing the total vote to 6994 for the ban versus 6933 against it, making the ban on aerial pesticide spraying in Lincoln County a reality. Thanks to the many people who volunteered and campaigned so valiantly, the vast amounts spent by corporate opponents failed to convince voters that profits are more important than health, safety, and the right to informed consent.
By this victory, Lincoln County is the first county in the United States to ban aerial spraying of pesticides by the vote of the people. This is not the first time Lincoln County has spoken truth to power and won.
“Back in 1976, folks here put Lincoln County on the map by winning a huge landmark case against the United States government, stopping federal spraying of Agent Orange on our forests and homes and waterways,” said Susan Parker Swift. “Now Lincoln County has done it again. I couldn’t be prouder to share this repeat victory!” MORE…