News From the Community Rights Movement

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Mar 13, 2014

The Kane Republican: Highland OKs Legal Fights Against Injection Well

The Kane Republican: Highland OKs Legal Fights Against Injection Well

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 Wires

Mar 6, 2014

The Bradford Era: Handful of appeals against Highland Township injection well project

The Bradford Era: Handful of appeals against Highland Township injection well project

Highland Township, PA, prepares to enforce its CELDF-drafted Community Bill of Rights Ordinance banning injection wells against Seneca Resources Corporation.

Read More | Community Wires

Feb 28, 2014

The Bradford Era: Highland Township citizens group joins fray over injection well

The Bradford Era: Highland Township citizens group joins fray over injection well

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 Wires

Feb 28, 2014

The Western Front: Frontline – Support a Community Bill of Rights

The Western Front: Frontline – Support a Community Bill of Rights

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 Grassroots

Feb 24, 2014

CELDF’s February Update

CELDF’s February Update

Here’s an update on some of our latest work.

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Feb 16, 2014

CELDF in Otavalo, Ecuador, for a Rights of Nature conference.

CELDF in Otavalo, Ecuador, for a Rights of Nature conference.

CELDF, a founding member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, joined in an international gathering hosted by the Alliance in Octavalo, Ecuador, in January. Read more here.

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Feb 12, 2014

The Bradford Era: Firm set to offer legal support in Highland Township injection well fight

The Bradford Era: Firm set to offer legal support in Highland Township injection well fight

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 Wires

Feb 11, 2014

Daily Kos – Food Fight: Local Media Coverage

Daily Kos – Food Fight: Local Media Coverage

A diary from occupystephanie on Oregon Community Rights and sustainable food systems in the face of hostile state and corporate interests.

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Feb 10, 2014

Daily Kos – Food Fight: Local Media Coverage

Daily Kos – Food Fight: Local Media Coverage

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 Grassroots

Feb 9, 2014

Corvallis Gazette-Times: Food fight turns on local rights

Corvallis Gazette-Times: Food fight turns on local rights

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 Wires

Jan 31, 2014

CELDF’s January 2014 Update

CELDF’s January 2014 Update

Thank you for supporting us in 2013! With your contributions, we will expand our work in 2014, meeting the growing numbers of requests for help from communities across the United States. If you have not yet donated, please click on the purple DONATE button on our website.

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Jan 25, 2014

Huffington Post: Colorado Communities Could Ban Fracking Under New Proposed Amendment

Huffington Post: Colorado Communities Could Ban Fracking Under New Proposed Amendment

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 Grassroots

Jan 21, 2014

Press Release: Colorado Community Rights Network Files Constitutional Amendment To Secure the Right to Community Self-Government Free from State Preemption

Press Release: Colorado Community Rights Network Files Constitutional Amendment To Secure the Right to Community Self-Government Free from State Preemption

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 Grassroots

Jan 17, 2014

CELDF’s Natalie Long, Illinois Community Rights Organizer, is interviewed by Niala Boodhoo on WBEZ 91.5 Chicago’s Afternoon Shift

CELDF’s Natalie Long, Illinois Community Rights Organizer, is interviewed by Niala Boodhoo on WBEZ 91.5 Chicago’s Afternoon Shift

Activists in Southern Illinois are getting ready for a fight to ban fracking in Johnson County. They launched a ballot initiative to urge the county board to enact a ban on fracking late last year. The issue is now on the ballot for the March 18 primary election. Natalie Long, an organizer with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, says fracking should be an issue of local control. Long joins us.

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Jan 16, 2014

National Catholic Reporter: Nature’s rights gain some legal standing

National Catholic Reporter: Nature’s rights gain some legal standing

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 Grassroots

Dec 20, 2013

FAQs – Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling on Act 13

FAQs – Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling on Act 13

Q. Does the Act 13 ruling ban fracking in Pennsylvania? A. No. The Act 13 ruling allows municipal governments to return to their status prior to the adoption of Act 13 – that of being able to adopt local zoning ordinances which control where oil and gas drilling can occur on the surface within the community.

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Dec 19, 2013

Pennsylvania’s Act 13 – Fracking

Pennsylvania’s Act 13 – Fracking

On December 19, 2013, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court found much of Act 13 unconstitutional. CELDF issued a press statement and FAQs

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Dec 19, 2013

Press Release: Statement on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Ruling that Parts of Act 13 are Unconstitutional

Press Release: Statement on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Ruling that Parts of Act 13 are Unconstitutional

“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 & Blogs

Dec 6, 2013

CELDF partner in Rights of Nature work, Fundacion Pachamama, Shut Down by Ecuadorian Government

CELDF partner in Rights of Nature work, Fundacion Pachamama, Shut Down by Ecuadorian Government

CELDF partner, Fundacion Pachamama, was shut down this week by the Ecuadorian government. Learn more on how you can help.

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Dec 5, 2013

Local Officials Standing Up to Protect Their Communities from Fracking

Local Officials Standing Up to Protect Their Communities from Fracking

As Mora County, NM, and Lafayette, CO, face oil and gas industry challenges to their Community Bills of Rights banning fracking, we are re-posting an article from the Center for Effective Government on CELDF’s work in providing support to communities through Community Rights.

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Dec 4, 2013

East Boulder County United statement on COGA’s lawsuit against Lafayette’s Community Rights initiative

East Boulder County United statement on COGA’s lawsuit against Lafayette’s Community Rights initiative

Faced with the loss of four democratic votes against oil and gas development across the Front Range this November, the Colorado Oil and Gas Association announced yesterday that it is filing lawsuits against two more Colorado communities, Lafayette and Fort Collins.

Read More | Uncategorized

Nov 7, 2013

Ohio and Colorado Voters Adopt Community Bills of Rights

Ohio and Colorado Voters Adopt Community Bills of Rights

On Election Day, voters in an Ohio and a Colorado community enacted Community Bills of Rights to
secure the right to local self-government and to protect the right to clean air, pure water, and the rights
of ecosystems to exist and flourish. By a margin of 70.56%, voters in Oberlin, OH, approved their
citizen-initiated ordinance. In Lafayette, CO, where citizens petitioned to amend their city home rule
charter, the winning margin was 60.16%.

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Nov 6, 2013

Press Release: Ohio and Colorado Voters Adopt Community Bills of Rights

Press Release: Ohio and Colorado Voters Adopt Community Bills of Rights

Lafayette, CO, and Oberlin, OH, residents ban fracking as a violation of rights with strong majority wins.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs

Oct 30, 2013

CELDF’s Northwest Community Rights Organizer Kai Huschke speaks on Washington’s Initiative I-517, on the ballot 11/5. Click here to listen.

CELDF’s Northwest Community Rights Organizer Kai Huschke speaks on Washington’s Initiative I-517, on the ballot 11/5. Click here to listen.

Initiative 517 is an initiative on initiatives, designed to make it easier to qualify initiatives for the ballot. I-517 would expand the time allotted to gather signatures for initiatives, as well as increase the areas where gatherers can go. It would also make it a crime to interfere, inhibit or restrict gatherers and require a public vote on any local initiative that qualifies — even if there is a legal challenge.

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Oct 30, 2013

The Piscataquis Observer: Letter to the Editor – Sangerville a leader in self-governance

The Piscataquis Observer: Letter to the Editor – Sangerville a leader in self-governance

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 Grassroots

Oct 24, 2013

Live Debate On I-517: The Initiative On Initiatives

Live Debate On I-517: The Initiative On Initiatives

Steve Scher talks with both sides of the initiative in a live debate: Kai Huschke, an organizer for the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, and Representative Marko Liias from Washington’s 21st district.

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Oct 17, 2013

October 2013 CELDF Update

October 2013 CELDF Update

Updates from Oregon to Austraila in this month’s CELDF’s newsletter.

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Oct 8, 2013

Read the Dirt: When The State Pushes Back

Read the Dirt: When The State Pushes Back

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 Grassroots

Sep 25, 2013

September 2013 CELDF Update

September 2013 CELDF Update

Ohio communities ban fracking, CELDF in Australia and new Democracy schools starting up.

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Sep 18, 2013

Press Release: Sangerville, ME, Adopts Community Bill of Rights Ordinance to Reject Transportation & Distribution Corridors

Press Release: Sangerville, ME, Adopts Community Bill of Rights Ordinance to Reject Transportation & Distribution Corridors

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 & Blogs

Sep 16, 2013

Press Release: Oregon Communities Launch Statewide Network for Community Rights

Press Release: Oregon Communities Launch Statewide Network for Community Rights

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 Grassroots

Sep 12, 2013

Frack-Backers Launch Preemptive Strikes against Democracy Attempt to Kill the Initiative Process

Frack-Backers Launch Preemptive Strikes against Democracy Attempt to Kill the Initiative Process

“It’s Already Been Decided? Who Decided That?”

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Sep 2, 2013

WNTK Talk Radio 99.7 FM: ‘Live and Local’ with Ben Sarro interviewing Steve Kudlik of Grafton, NH

WNTK Talk Radio 99.7 FM: ‘Live and Local’ with Ben Sarro interviewing Steve Kudlik of Grafton, NH

Steve Cudlak of Grafton interview 9/2/13 on 99.7 on WNTK about RBO(Rights Based Ordinance/Wind Towers)

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Aug 30, 2013

The Pacific Northwest Inlander: Judgment Day

The Pacific Northwest Inlander: Judgment Day

Corporate and government interests in Spokane, WA, succeed in blocking citizens’ initiatives that would establish Community Rights.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Aug 21, 2013

The Bradford Era: Earthquakes elicit Elk County opposition to proposed injection well

The Bradford Era: Earthquakes elicit Elk County opposition to proposed injection well

Elk County Commissioners speak out against fracking injection wells.

Read More | Community Wires

Aug 10, 2013

Why a Rights-Based Ordinance in Nottingham?

Why a Rights-Based Ordinance in Nottingham?

The rights of municipal corporations and communities have been eroded over time to where we, municipality and community, have very little power over our own destiny through the established regulatory legal system.

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Aug 5, 2013

Noozhawk: Fracking and the Rights of Nature

Noozhawk: Fracking and the Rights of Nature

Community Rights and the Rights of Nature are changing our western legal paradigm, and are tools to protect Santa Barbara, CA, from fracking.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 8, 2013

July 2013 CELDF Update

July 2013 CELDF Update

Updates and news from CELDF communities across the country.

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Jul 3, 2013

Noozhawk: Protecting Santa Barbara County — Community Rights vs. Corporate Control

Noozhawk: Protecting Santa Barbara County — Community Rights vs. Corporate Control

Wayne Mellinger on Community Rights to protect Santa Barbara from fracking corporate interests.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jul 2, 2013

Local Lawmaking: A Call for a Community Rights Movement

Local Lawmaking: A Call for a Community Rights Movement

While on their face these issues may appear to be different – ranging from corporate agribusiness to energy extraction – the communities on the receiving end of things all have at least one thing in common: they’ve given up hope that their state or federal government will act to protect them.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jun 26, 2013

Piscataquis Observer: Sangerville group outlines community bill of rights to halt east-west highway

Piscataquis Observer: Sangerville group outlines community bill of rights to halt east-west highway

East Sangerville, ME, residents and selectmen partner with CELDF to use a Community Bill of Rights to stop a $2.1 billion limited access highway.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Jun 21, 2013

Press Release: Pennsylvania Community Rights Network (PCRN) Seats Founding Board of Directors

Press Release: Pennsylvania Community Rights Network (PCRN) Seats Founding Board of Directors

Declaring that the legitimate foundation of government is the right to local self-governance, the Pennsylvania Community Rights Network reviewed bylaws and officially launched the organization on Monday in Bowmanstown, Carbon County.

Read More | News from the Grassroots

May 20, 2013

PA Community Rights Workshop – State College, PA, June 14th – 15th.

PA Community Rights Workshop – State College, PA, June 14th – 15th.

Residents are beginning to coalesce around the idea of pushing for a community-controlled sustainable energy planning process that includes enforcement teeth. CELDF has drafted ordinances that we might use to continue empowering our community to actively protect our own health, safety and welfare.

Read More | Uncategorized

May 19, 2013

Press Release: New Hampshire Community Rights Network Signs the Barnstead Declaration

Press Release: New Hampshire Community Rights Network Signs the Barnstead Declaration

The New Hampshire Community Rights Network signs the Barnstead Declaration, stating their intention to provide education for a statewide call for legislative and constitutional changes recognizing the right to local self-government and the Rights of Nature.

Read More | News from the Grassroots

May 8, 2013

Read the Dirt: Does Food Sovereignty Exist in the United States? Food and the Community Rights Movement

Read the Dirt: Does Food Sovereignty Exist in the United States? Food and the Community Rights Movement

Trisha Mandes speaks to the deficiencies of U.S. food activism and proposes an adaptive way forward. Trisha has worked with community-based food projects in Oregon and Pennsylvania and is now pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Health Nutrition and Sustainable Development at the University of Eastern Finland.

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Apr 29, 2013

Press Release: First County in U.S. Bans Oil and Gas Extraction

Press Release: First County in U.S. Bans Oil and Gas Extraction

Mora County, NM, adopts first-in-the-nation ban on oil and gas extraction, protecting residents and local ecosystems from fracking.

Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots

Apr 11, 2013

Benton County Community Rights Coalition co-founder Clint Lindsey on TVSet to talk about Community Rights vs. GMOs

Benton County Community Rights Coalition co-founder Clint Lindsey on TVSet to talk about Community Rights vs. GMOs

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Apr 11, 2013

Benton County Community Rights Coalition co-founder Clint Lindsey on TVSet to talk about Community Rights vs. GMOs

Benton County Community Rights Coalition co-founder Clint Lindsey on TVSet to talk about Community Rights vs. GMOs

On March 3rd at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, fifty farmers and food advocates from eight counties – Benton, Clackamas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Yamhill – gathered to discuss the future of farming and food systems in the Willamette Valley. The summit was co-sponsored by CELDF, Benton County Community Rights Coalition, Oregon Tilth, Oregonians for Farm and Food Rights, and Rural Organizing Project.

Read More | Uncategorized

Mar 28, 2013

CELDF Statement: A New Civil Rights Movement: Liberating Our Communities from Corporate Control

CELDF Statement: A New Civil Rights Movement: Liberating Our Communities from Corporate Control

A Pennsylvania Judge Holds That Corporations Are Not “Persons” Under the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs