The people’s initiative codifies the right to clean water, air, and soil
A Press Release from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, from August 6th, 2018.
Last week, Columbus City Council approved a citizen initiative entitled the Community Bill of Rights for Water, Soil, and Air Protection and to Prohibit Gas and Oil Extraction and Related Activities and Projects Ordinance. The measure qualified for the ballot with 12,134 valid signatures – well over the minimum required.
Since 2014, the Columbus Community Bill of Rights (CCBOR) group has worked with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), a national public interest law firm. CELDF works with communities across the country to advance, protect, and defend communities’ democratic and environmental rights. CCBOR formed when they learned the Ohio EPA permitted radioactive fracked gas solid waste to be processed and “beneficially” used along the banks of the Alum Creek without testing for radioactivity. They also discovered there are 13 active oil and gas waste injection wells near the City’s drinking water source.
Last week’s milestone comes following two previous attempts by CCBOR to qualify their measure. During their first attempt, the City Council supported changes to the City Charter making it more difficult to qualify citizen initiatives. On their second attempt the group collected over 13,500 signatures; however, following the BOE validation process they were short the required number of signatures. As supporters overcame these hurdles, they expanded their education and outreach to engage with more residents, educating them on the threats posed by radioactive waste from fossil fuel extraction. During their three attempts, CCBOR members gathered more than 44,000 signatures. MORE…