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Oct 2, 2017

Press Release: Judge Strikes Portions of Democratically-Enacted Charter Banning Frack Waste

Press Release: Judge Strikes Portions of Democratically-Enacted Charter Banning Frack Waste

Highland Township, PA, residents plan enforcement of their Home Rule Charter banning a frack wastewater injection well as judiciary sides with Seneca Resources Corporation.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Sep 30, 2017

The Register-Guard: Supporters of Lane County aerial herbicide spraying ban say they have enough signatures to put measure on May 15 election ballot

The Register-Guard: Supporters of Lane County aerial herbicide spraying ban say they have enough signatures to put measure on May 15 election ballot

Lane County, OR, residents submit signatures to place a rights-based initiative banning aerially sprayed pesticides on the May 2018 ballot.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 28, 2017

Daily Camera: Lisa Flynn: Take Back Local Government

Daily Camera: Lisa Flynn: Take Back Local Government

Longmont, CO, resident calls out state government sacrificing communities for corporate fracking interests. CELDF offers action for residents to protect themselves.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 26, 2017

Seeker: Lawsuit Seeks Legal Rights for the Colorado River

Seeker: Lawsuit Seeks Legal Rights for the Colorado River

Today, the Colorado River files in federal court for recognition of its rights to exist and flourish, as global warming and human consumption threaten its very survival.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success Story

Sep 26, 2017

BG Independent News: Two sides at odds over proposed BG charter amendment

BG Independent News: Two sides at odds over proposed BG charter amendment

Community rights proponents in Bowling Green, OH, work to protect themselves from harmful fossil fuel projects through a rights-based charter amendment.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 25, 2017

San Diego Free Press: Why Does the Colorado River Need to Sue For Rights?

San Diego Free Press: Why Does the Colorado River Need to Sue For Rights?

Without rights, the Colorado River is merely an object for human exploitation, rather than recognized as the living ecosystem it is, and wholly necessary to sustain life

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 25, 2017

The Athens News: High Court shoots down third local anti-fracking charter

The Athens News: High Court shoots down third local anti-fracking charter

When county residents in Ohio seek to reform their government, that very government blocks them. At stake: communities’ clean air and water, and their right to local community self-government.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 24, 2017

Desmog: Ohio Communities Face ‘Voter Suppression’ in Push to Rein in Oil and Gas Development

Desmog: Ohio Communities Face ‘Voter Suppression’ in Push to Rein in Oil and Gas Development

What’s going on in Ohio? Voter suppression in the form of blocking rights-based citizen initiatives from the ballot for a vote. Who’s behind it? The oil and gas industry and their allies.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 21, 2017

Press Release: People’s Constitutional Right to Form Charter Government Stricken by Ohio Supreme Court

Press Release: People’s Constitutional Right to Form Charter Government Stricken by Ohio Supreme Court

The Ohio Supreme Court places insurmountable requirements on county charter initiatives. For three years, counties have attempted to protect themselves from fracking through advancing rights-based charter initiatives.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Sep 14, 2017

BG Independent News: Anti-pipeline charter amendment now in limbo

BG Independent News: Anti-pipeline charter amendment now in limbo

The people’s right to vote on a right to climate charter amendment in Bowling Green, OH, is challenged by one resident.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 11, 2017

Public News Service: Does Nature Have the Right to Defend Itself in Court?

Public News Service: Does Nature Have the Right to Defend Itself in Court?

The Siletz River in Oregon files to intervene in a lawsuit brought to overturn a community rights ban on aerially sprayed pesticides.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Sep 7, 2017

BG Independent News: Pipeline petition cleared to appear on BG ballot

BG Independent News: Pipeline petition cleared to appear on BG ballot

The Wood County, OH, Board of Elections supports Bowling Green residents’ right to vote, placing the people’s right to climate initiative on the November ballot.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success Story

Sep 7, 2017

Press Release: Bowling Green Residents Have More Right to Initiative than Youngstown Residents?

Press Release: Bowling Green Residents Have More Right to Initiative than Youngstown Residents?

The Board of Elections denies Youngstown, OH, residents their inalienable right to vote on their own citizen initiatives. Residents are challenging the stripping of their rights.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Sep 1, 2017

Daily Camera: LTE: Demand county take action

Daily Camera: LTE: Demand county take action

Boulder County, CO, resident calls for people to stand up to protect themselves from oil and gas industry by driving into law a Community Bill of Rights.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 23, 2017

The Thom Hartmann Program: The Second American Revolution with Director Leila Conners

The Thom Hartmann Program: The Second American Revolution with Director Leila Conners

Tree Media’s Leila Connors speaks to the documentary We the People 2.0 – The Second American Revolution, and how communities across the U.S. are using Community Rights to challenge and change corporate state barriers to democracy.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 22, 2017

The Thom Hartmann Program: We Don’t Just Have a Fracking Problem, We Have A Democracy Problem!

The Thom Hartmann Program: We Don’t Just Have a Fracking Problem, We Have A Democracy Problem!

CELDF’s Tish O’Dell is on the Thom Hartmann Program, exploring why we don’t have a fracking problem – but instead a democracy problem.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 22, 2017

Press Release: Ohio Residents Take Fight for Right to Vote to Ohio Supreme Court

Press Release: Ohio Residents Take Fight for Right to Vote to Ohio Supreme Court

Boards of Elections use new found authority to block citizen initiatives off the ballot in Athens and Medina Counties in Ohio. CELDF is assisting residents to fight back, taking it to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Read More | Press Releases & Blogs

Aug 18, 2017

BG Independent News: Pipeline petition passes signature test …. but more obstacles remain

BG Independent News: Pipeline petition passes signature test …. but more obstacles remain

Bowling Green residents and students who submitted petitions to place a Right to Climate charter amendment on the November ballot may face efforts to block their measure.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 18, 2017

Columbus Free Press: Corporate State Says Democracy is Too Expensive

Columbus Free Press: Corporate State Says Democracy is Too Expensive

While the oil and gas industry declares democracy is “too expensive,” CELDF’s Tish O’Dell looks at the bigger picture, including the cost of the corporate state.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 13, 2017

Vindy.com: LTE: Outside money suppresses voice of people in Y’town; the time has come to act

Vindy.com: LTE: Outside money suppresses voice of people in Y’town; the time has come to act

A Youngstown, OH, residents calls for support of the People’s Bill of Rights for Fair Elections and Access to Local Government. The initiative creates non-partisan elections, stops outside influence on elections, and other groundbreaking requirements.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 11, 2017

Akron Beacon Journal: LTE: Fallout from the oil and gas industry

Akron Beacon Journal: LTE: Fallout from the oil and gas industry

A Medina Co, OH, resident invites elected officials to see what’s happening in Carroll and Noble Counties, where residents suffer harms from fossil fuel projects marring the countryside.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 11, 2017

Vindy.com: Fracking issue in Youngstown could ignite fight in the courts

Vindy.com: Fracking issue in Youngstown could ignite fight in the courts

Gas industry allies in the Ohio legislature adopted a law authorizing BOEs and the Secretary of State to keep measures off the ballot based on content. The new law may be used in an attempt to keep 2 Youngstown community rights measures off the ballot.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 9, 2017

Fosters.com: We must protect fair elections in NH

Fosters.com: We must protect fair elections in NH

The New Hampshire legislature is suppressing voters and refusing to protect the vote through a verification process. This resident calls for using community rights to change that.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 8, 2017

In These Times Rural America: Youngstown Residents Push to Oust Corporations from Election Campaigns, Cap Contributions at $100

In These Times Rural America: Youngstown Residents Push to Oust Corporations from Election Campaigns, Cap Contributions at $100

Youngstown, OH, residents work to ban corporations from elections and cap campaign spending to level the playing field.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 8, 2017

Vindy.com: Committee turns in petitions for elections charter amendment

Vindy.com: Committee turns in petitions for elections charter amendment

Youngstown residents submit a petition for the November ballot that would remove corporations from elections, and cap campaign contributions.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 7, 2017

Press Release: Citizen Initiative Removes Corporations from Election Campaigns, Caps Campaign Contributions

Press Release: Citizen Initiative Removes Corporations from Election Campaigns, Caps Campaign Contributions

Youngstown, OH, residents submit petitions to place a fair elections initiative on the November ballot. The measure includes removing corporations from campaigns.

Read More | Press Releases & Blogs

Aug 7, 2017

Blog: Ceiling Preemption: A Weapon Against Democracy

Blog: Ceiling Preemption: A Weapon Against Democracy

State and federal governments use ceiling preemption to suppress rights. It’s time for communities to use floor preemption to stop harm and expand rights.

Read More | Press Releases & Blogs

Aug 5, 2017

The Athens News: Let the people of Athens County have a vote on county charter

The Athens News: Let the people of Athens County have a vote on county charter

A resident and attorney in Athens County, OH, urges support for the county charter initiative advanced by community members to protect the county from fracking.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 2, 2017

The Athens News: Anti-fracking group protests rejection of county charter

The Athens News: Anti-fracking group protests rejection of county charter

For a third year, Athens County, OH, residents battle efforts to keep them from voting on their qualified charter initiative. The measure bans fracking activities as a violation of rights.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 31, 2017

BG Independent News: BG charter amendment group submits ballot initiative

BG Independent News: BG charter amendment group submits ballot initiative

Facing the proposed Nexus pipeline and determined to protect their community’s water, Bowling Green, OH, residents turn in signatures for their community rights initiative.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 27, 2017

The Athens News: Judge rules charter petition had enough signatures after all

The Athens News: Judge rules charter petition had enough signatures after all

For a 3rd year, Athens County, OH, residents fight to protect themselves from fracking activities through a rights-based Home Rule charter. They continue to come up against the corporate state blocking them.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 26, 2017

Truthout: Oregon Ecosystem Files Lawsuit to Defend Its Rights

Truthout: Oregon Ecosystem Files Lawsuit to Defend Its Rights

As the Siletz River Ecosystem is being destroyed by aerial sprayed pesticides, the river is taking legal action to protect itself, using a community rights ordinance adopted by Linconl Co, OR, voters.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 25, 2017

Public News Service: OR River Could Take Legal Action in Aerial Pesticide Ban Case

Public News Service: OR River Could Take Legal Action in Aerial Pesticide Ban Case

Nature’s rights are necessary to protect local ecosystems, and the Siletz River in Lincoln County, OR, is filing to intervene in a lawsuit to make that argument.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 24, 2017

Press Release: Oregon River Stands Up for its Rights

Press Release: Oregon River Stands Up for its Rights

The Siletz River watershed in Lincoln County, OR, files to intervene in a case to protect itself against aerially sprayed pesticides. The practice was banned by county residents in May.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Jul 22, 2017

Akron Beacon Journal: Pipeline opponents gagged in Medina County

Akron Beacon Journal: Pipeline opponents gagged in Medina County

Medina, OH, resident lays out the gagging of democratic rights by county government when residents advanced a measure to protect themselves from the Nexus pipeline and compressor station – and the harms that will come with those projects.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 21, 2017

World Policy On Air: “The Rights of Trees”

World Policy On Air: “The Rights of Trees”

As global warming accelerates, a radical change in how we view and interact with nature is necessary. World Policy on Air’s David Alpern interviews CELDF’s Mari Margil.

Read More | News from the Grassroots

Jul 21, 2017

BG Independent News: Petition aimed at prioritizing people over pipelines

BG Independent News: Petition aimed at prioritizing people over pipelines

Bowling Green, OH, residents prepare to submit signatures to place a community rights ballot initiative before voters for November. The measure bans the Nexus pipeline as a violation of rights.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 20, 2017

NexusMedia: Meet the Rural Pennsylvania Town at the Forefront of Environmental Law

NexusMedia: Meet the Rural Pennsylvania Town at the Forefront of Environmental Law

Grant Township, PA, digs in deep to fight a frack wastewater injection well, leveraging rights to challenge a legal system stacked against them.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 18, 2017

The Gazette: Judge rejects county charter complaint

The Gazette: Judge rejects county charter complaint

The right of Medina Co., OH, residents to alter their government through citizen initiative is denied by a Common Pleas judge. Residents are considering next steps.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 17, 2017

The Spokesman-Review: Federal judge tosses suit by Raging Grannies seeking to ban coal and oil trains through Spokane

The Spokesman-Review: Federal judge tosses suit by Raging Grannies seeking to ban coal and oil trains through Spokane

A federal judge does not consider the people’s right to a healthy climate in a lawsuit filed by Spokane residents who are fighting to protect their community from fossil fuel activities.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 15, 2017

Press Release: Court Dismisses Climate Lawsuit on Procedural Grounds; Constitutional Right to a Healthy Climate Ignored

Press Release: Court Dismisses Climate Lawsuit on Procedural Grounds; Constitutional Right to a Healthy Climate Ignored

A federal judge uses “standing” to dismiss Spokane residents’ lawsuit asserting a right to a healthy climate, ignoring the urgency of climate change and the people’s rights.

Read More | Press Releases & Blogs

Jul 14, 2017

The Gazette: Board’s charter decision an insult to democracy

The Gazette: Board’s charter decision an insult to democracy

Medina County, OH, resident calls out the County Board of Elections for their refusal to let the people vote on their qualified county charter initiative. The measure secures democratic and environmental rights, and bans fracking infrastructure.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 13, 2017

The Blade: Toledoans can band together to protect Lake Erie

The Blade: Toledoans can band together to protect Lake Erie

Toledo resident calls out local government’s lack of meaningful response to protect Lake Erie, and calls in the broader community to participate in direct democracy in advancing community rights – including rights for Lake Erie.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 12, 2017

UCY.TV: The Age of Fission Program – Community Rights with CELDF’s Kai Huschke

UCY.TV: The Age of Fission Program – Community Rights with CELDF’s Kai Huschke

CELDF’s Kai Hushke is interviewed on UCY.TV, examining the barriers our communities face when they exercise their right to govern the places they live – and exploring how community rights is a means to challenge and change them.

Read More | News from the Grassroots

Jul 11, 2017

The Gazette: Elections board doesn’t certify county charter petitions

The Gazette: Elections board doesn’t certify county charter petitions

Medina County, OH, residents find the Board of Elections blocking their initiative to establish a Home Rule charter, refusing to allow citizens to vote on their own measure.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 11, 2017

Press Release: Athens and Medina Boards of Elections Spark Uproar, Refuse the People’s Initiatives

Press Release: Athens and Medina Boards of Elections Spark Uproar, Refuse the People’s Initiatives

Ohio county Boards of Elections block Home Rule charter citizen initiatives from the ballot, raising frustration in Athens and Medina County residents. The rights-based measures banned fracking activities as a violation of rights.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Jul 10, 2017

Immense Possibilities: The True Rights of Communities

Immense Possibilities: The True Rights of Communities

Immense Possibilities interviews CELDF’s Thomas Linzey and Coos County, OR, community rights activist Mary Geddry.

Read More | News from the Grassroots