Important Updates
We hope you enjoy the articles, factoids, features, and spotlights of the…
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The essays in Wouldn’t You Say? ask challenging questions about modern society,…
News from the Grassroots, Publications
A new system of law based on respect for Nature and the…
Issues, News, Resources, Rights of Nature
Nov 10, 2014
Denton, TX, joins a growing number of communities being sued by their own government and corporate entities, to punish communities for democratically enacting bans on fracking.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsNov 6, 2014
Mendocino County, CA’s, Community Bill of Rights banning fracking protects residents and local ecosystems, and challenges existing law that denies communities the right to local decision-making, the right to clean air and water, and the right to create sustainable communities.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsNov 5, 2014
CELDF-drafted Community Bills of Rights banning fracking and challenging corporate claimed “rights” in Ohio and California take center stage.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryNov 5, 2014
Athens, OH, residents overwhelmingly adopt a Community Bill of Rights banning fracking wastewater disposal, as a violation of their rights to clean air, water, and the right to local self-government.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsSep 26, 2014
Dover-Foxcroft, ME, resident urges communities to assert their rights to protect themselves from harmful corporate projects, such as the East-West Corridor, through Community Bills of Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsSep 1, 2014
In 2007, after a series of Democracy Schools held in Spokane, Washington, a group of citizens led by local school teacher Brad Read built a coalition to support a Community Bill of Rights for City residents.
Read More | Community WiresAug 21, 2014
CELDF’s Thomas Linzey calls out the blatant sellout of Coloradans by a Congressman who had claimed to support communities banning fracking, and a non-profit’s abandonment of helping protect Coloradans from fracking.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsAug 21, 2014
Lafayette, CO, residents file a preliminary injunction to protect their Community Bill of Rights banning fracking.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 21, 2014
With 60% of Lafayette, CO, residents adopting a Community Bill of Rights banning fracking last November, residents file a motion for a preliminary injunction against the State and the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) to enforce their ban.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 19, 2014
Lafayette, CO, residents seek a preliminary injunction against the State of Colorado, the Governor, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Association to enforce their Community Bill of Rights banning fracking – adopted overwhelmingly by residents last November.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsAug 12, 2014
Boulder County, CO, resident urges support for advancing communities’ rights over corporate claimed “rights” through Home Rule local self-governance.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 4, 2014
The Boulder County Community Rights Network in Colorado has gathered more than 10,000 signatures to place a home rule charter question on the ballot for May 2015. Residents are considering a home rule form of government to advance Community Rights and protect themselves from fracking.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 26, 2014
The Boulder County Community Rights Network in Colorado is gathering signatures in the first steps towards creating a Community Rights Home Rule Charter for the County. Supporters want to protect the County from fracking using Community Rights to local self-governance.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 25, 2014
The Boulder County Community Rights Network in Colorado gathers signatures to create a Home Rule Charter Commission, intending to enact a Home Rule Charter built on a Community Bill of Rights that would codify Boulder County’s right to ban fracking and other harmful activities.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 10, 2014
Boulder County, CO, residents gather signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot. The measure is the first step in creating a Community Rights Home Rule Charter for the County that would elevate communities’ rights over corporate claimed “rights.”
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 1, 2014
We congratulate the victory in the New York Court of Appeals for banning fracking. We also recognize the Court, rather than affirming communities’ right to local self-governance, instead affirmed the state legislature may at any time remove those bans. Read more here.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsJun 23, 2014
Highland Township, PA, residents, adopting a Community Rights Ordinance banning fracking injection wells in 2013, receive broad community support on Saturday at an event attended by Pennsylvania and Ohio communities.
Read More | Community WiresJun 15, 2014
A diary from occupystephanie draws parallels between Community Rights and other rights’ movements, and describes CELDF’s work with municipalities across the U.S. to leverage those rights to protect ourselves and the natural environment from corporate harms.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJun 15, 2014
Communities and government representatives from across Elk County, PA, are invited to Highland Township’s community rights picnic gathering on Saturday, 6/21. The gathering will include speakers and community rights workshops.
Read More | Community WiresJun 13, 2014
Highland Township, PA, and CELDF are prepared to defend the Township’s Community Rights Ordinance banning wastewater injection wells as Seneca Resources moves a step closer to attempting to site a well.
Read More | Community WiresJun 2, 2014
Highland Township, PA, receives support from surrounding communities at the Residents Fight for Clean Water Picnic held Saturday. Highland residents face a fracking wastewater injection well, and are preparing to enforce their Community Bill of Rights banning the wells.
Read More | Community WiresApr 17, 2014
Highland Township, PA, receives a letter of support from Jay Township, as Highland stands behind its Community Bill of Rights Ordinance banning fracking wastewater injection wells. Nearby Ridgeway Township sent a letter of support in March.
Read More | Community WiresApr 10, 2014
Support grows from other municipalities as Highland Township Supervisors stand by their Community Rights Ordinance banning fracking wastewater injection wells. The Township faces opposition from Seneca Resources Corporation.
Read More | Community WiresApr 1, 2014
Mendocino County, CA, residents work with CELDF’s partner Global Exchange in Community Rights organizing to protect their water. Communities are working on Community Bills of Rights, including a County level Ordinance.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 30, 2014
Residents in Johnson County, IL, are moving forward with next steps to protect their community from fracking through a Community Bill of Rights Ordinance.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 25, 2014
Johnson County, IL, residents present a Community Bill of Rights Ordinance to County Commissioners to protect the community from fracking.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 22, 2014
CELDF is retained by Highland Township, PA, to defend the Township’s Community Bill of Rights Ordinance banning fracking wastewater injection wells against Seneca Resources Corporation. Seneca wants to site an injection well and has threatened legal action to negate the community’s rights.
Read More | Community WiresMar 19, 2014
With over $20,000 available to pro-fracking interests to defeat a non-binding referendum in support of a Community Bill of Rights banning fracking, Johnson County residents voted it down. Community Rights supporters promise to move forward.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 19, 2014
A local media blackout against Community Rights in Johnson County, IL, affects ballot outcome.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 19, 2014
Ridgeway Township, PA, Board of Supervisors writes a letter of support for Highland Township, which is taking a stand against Seneca Resources Corporation’s plans to site a fracking wastewater injection well. The Township adopted a Community Bill of Rights banning injection wells in 2013.
Read More | Community WiresMar 18, 2014
Community Rights opponents in Johnson County, IL, claim a hollow victory when a media blackout kept out Community Rights advocates and the state Chamber of Commerce funded $23,000 of propaganda against them.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsMar 14, 2014
As the EPA approves a wastewater injection well permit in Highland Township, PA, for Seneca Resources, the Township Supervisors, with standing-room-only support from the community, retains CELDF to defend their Community Bill of Rights Ordinance banning injection wells.
Read More | Community WiresMar 13, 2014
Highland Township Supervisors in Pennsylvania receive overwhelming support from residents to enforce their Community Rights Ordinance banning fracking wastewater injection wells, as Seneca Resources presses forward with a planned well.
Read More | Community WiresMar 6, 2014
Highland Township, PA, prepares to enforce its CELDF-drafted Community Bill of Rights Ordinance banning injection wells against Seneca Resources Corporation.
Read More | Community WiresFeb 28, 2014
Highland Township, PA, stands behind its Community Bill of Rights banning injection wells with the support of Township Supervisors, residents, and CELDF, as Seneca Resources vows to fight the rights-based ordinance.
Read More | Community WiresFeb 28, 2014
Western University students in Bellingham, WA, call on their peers to launch a Community Bill of Rights initiative in Bellingham.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsFeb 12, 2014
CELDF affirms it will defend Highland Township, PA’s Community Bill of Rights Ordinance that bans fracking wastewater injection wells against Seneca Resources, which has been issued a permit by the EPA to site an injection well within the township.
Read More | Community WiresFeb 10, 2014
A diary from occupystephanie on Oregon Community Rights and sustainable food systems in the face of hostile state and corporate interests.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsFeb 9, 2014
A fight to protect the Willamette Valley, OR, from GM seed reveals itself to be a fight to protect Community Rights to create local, sustainable food systems, and the right to local self-governance.
Read More | Community WiresJan 25, 2014
A proposed amendment to Colorado’s constitution that would give municipalities the power to ban or restrict fracking and other industrial activities would be the first of its kind nationwide if it passes.
Read More | News from the GrassrootsJan 21, 2014
Denver, Colorado, January 20, 2014 – The Colorado Community Rights Network (COCRN) has submitted to the state for review and comment the language for a Community Rights Constitutional Amendment to be placed on the 2014 ballot.
Read More | News from the GrassrootsJan 16, 2014
At the Global Rights of Nature Summit in Otavalo, Ecuador, CELDF representatives and other organizations gather to call for the advancement of the Rights of Nature to protect the planet.
Read More | News from the GrassrootsDec 19, 2013
“This ruling, while welcome, does not stop fracking of Pennsylvania’s communities, nor does it recognize the right of the people of Pennsylvania to govern their own communities without state or corporate interference.” – Thomas Linzey, Esq., Executive Director
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsNov 6, 2013
Lafayette, CO, and Oberlin, OH, residents ban fracking as a violation of rights with strong majority wins.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsOct 30, 2013
Sangerville, ME, resident stands behind their first-in-the-nation Community Bill of Rights infrastructure ordinance, adopted by residents in September.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsOct 8, 2013
Editor Simon Davis-Cohen interviews CELDF’s Pacific Northwest Community Organizer Kai Huschke about our structure of law and governance that functions to deny communities’ rights when they interfere with corporate “rights,” as seen today in both Washington State and Oregon.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsSep 18, 2013
Voters in Sangerville, ME, adopt a Community Bill of Rights ordinance to protect their municipality from a private transportation corridor.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsSep 16, 2013
On September 12th, community members from eight Oregon counties gathered in Corvallis, Oregon, to launch the Oregon Community Rights Network (ORCRN).
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 30, 2013
Corporate and government interests in Spokane, WA, succeed in blocking citizens’ initiatives that would establish Community Rights.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 21, 2013
Elk County Commissioners speak out against fracking injection wells.
Read More | Community Wires