Announcing CELDF's Proposed Rights of Nature Principles
A new system of law based on respect for Nature and the…
Read More
Issues, News, Resources, Rights of Nature
Search Results for: rights of nature
Sep 17, 2021
Newsletter: Ohio Update
Ohio communities over the past decade have worked hard to protect ecosystems and their communities from various harmful projects. They did the work of asserting democratic rights to alter and reform their government. They collected signatures, argued in court, battled in lopsided campaigns and even won a few only to have the courts overturn their… Read more »
Read More | Blogs, Chemical Trespass, Community Wires, NewsAug 29, 2021
Preemption Workshop
On Thursday, September 9 at 6:30 pm, please join us for a workshop by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) “Preemption as a Lethal Weapon: How Corporations and Government are Deliberately Destroying Communities and Nature”.
Read More | Democratic Rights, EventsApr 9, 2021
Columbus Free Press: Lawsuit To Protect Direct Democracy In Columbus During The Pandemic Dismissed By Court
A lawsuit seeking a temporary suspension of Columbus’ one-year petitioning time limit due to the pandemic was dismissed by the U.S. District Court for Southern Ohio on April 14, 2021. The lawsuit was filed in June 2020 by our group, Columbus Community Bill of Rights (CCBOR), arguing that the city’s time limit during the COVID-19 pandemic was unconstitutional and placed a severe burden on ballot access for our initiative, which sought to ban harms from the fracking industry within Columbus and it’s watershed area.
Read More | Democratic Rights, Issues, News, News from the GrassrootsFeb 2, 2021
Protect the Protectors: Stop Line 3
Tribal nations, community and environmental groups in Minnesota have fought to stop the Line 3 Enbridge pipeline in Northern Minnesota. The pipeline violates several treaties with the Ojibwe people that establish their right to hunt, fish, and gather along the proposed route. The pipeline would cross 200 bodies of water, including the Mississippi River twice.
Read More | Corporate 'Rights', Extraction & Pollution, Issues, Rights of NatureJan 8, 2021
Newsletter: Momentum for Constitutional Change in Pennsylvania
In 2020, members of the Pennsylvania Community Rights Network engaged in a statewide support campaign for a state constitutional amendment to place the rights of people over the interests of private corporations – empowering communities to heighten state protections for civil, human and ecosystem rights.
Read More | Blogs, Corporate 'Rights', Democratic Rights, Extraction & Pollution, News, Rights of Nature
Dec 28, 2020
Observing Revolution: Pennsylvania
Newsletter: CELDF has supported the efforts of Grant Township, PA as they engage in local lawmaking to successfully resist corporate contamination of water. Despite years of legal attacks by the private corporations, PA regulatory agencies, and the oil and gas industry, local residents of Grant Township have reasserted and continued to defend local lawmaking and protect the natural systems that sustain them.
Read More | Blogs, NewsDec 17, 2020
Guest Blog: John Marshall: A Case Study of Institutional Racism
This essay discusses our courts of law as epitomes of institutional racism and the role played by Former Chief Justice John Marshall. This guest blog is part of a continuing effort to re-name law schools after Former Chief Justice Marshall, who owned over 200 slaves. Dealing with institutional racist past and trying to right some of the wrongs.
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press Releases & BlogsDec 11, 2020
Truthout: The American Petroleum Institute Is Working to Kill Voting on Local Measures
Over the past five years, organizers in seven Ohio communities (three cities, four counties) have qualified ballot measures to recognize enforceable rights of ecosystems and human rights to water. All take the historic and bold step of elevating these basic rights above the legal privileges currently enjoyed by private corporations in the United States.
Read More | Community Rights, Corporate 'Rights', Corporate Agriculture, Extraction & Pollution, Issues, News, News from the Grassroots, Rights of NatureNov 10, 2020
Observing Revolution: New Hampshire
Building statewide momentum across New Hampshire. A 2020 organizing update featured in our fall newsletter.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsNov 10, 2020
CELDF REPORT: What Wasn’t Voted On (2020)
A new Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund report details the repression of ballot initiatives in 2020.
Read More | Blogs, News, Publications, Resource Links, ResourcesOct 30, 2020
Observing Revolution: Oregon
Communities across Oregon are taking a stand against corporate claimed rights.
Read More | Chemical Trespass, Community Rights, News, Press Releases & BlogsOct 28, 2020
Times of System Change
Protests are shifting the conditions of political action. Immediate structural change may be difficult to see – but it’s happening – culture is shifting. A dedicated and defiant movement is emerging and challenging the purpose of the law.
Read More | Blogs, Newsletters, Press Releases & Blogs
Oct 15, 2020
Observing Revolution: Ohio
A 2020 organizing update from Ohio featured in our fall newsletter.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsSep 24, 2020
Press Release: Grant Township Moves to Dismiss PA DEP Lawsuit
Despite recognizing the Grant Townships local law to ban injection wells the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection continues to sue the township. CELDF files motion to dismiss on behalf of the community.
Read More | Press Releases, Press Releases & BlogsSep 17, 2020
Virtual Democracy School in Colorado
Register today for this virtual Democracy School in the Colorado area!
Read More | UncategorizedAug 26, 2020
New Hampshire Supreme Court Gives Group Chance to Defend Right to a Healthy Climate Law from Corporate Lawsuit
While local electeds refused to defend Nottingham’s Healthy Climate Law, the New Hampshire Supreme Court heard the people’s voice. Now residents are able to defend their rights and this historic law while the corporation cries discrimination.
Read More | Press Releases, Press Releases & BlogsAug 9, 2020
WANTED: Local Officials Willing to Fight the Corporate State to Protect People and the Environment During a Pandemic
The system is constructed to disempower communities, to the detriment of people and the planet. That is why we need to fight back and why we need local elected officials with courage to fight with us… not against us! A guest blog by Ohio organizer Tish O’Dell.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsJun 17, 2020
Lawsuit: Columbus, OH Must Take Action to Preserve Direct Democracy During the Pandemic
Press Release: Petitioners in Columbus file a lawsuit against the state of Ohio for unconstitutional limits on signature gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic in Columbus. The Columbus city charter imposes a one year time limit on signature gathering.
Read More | News, Press ReleasesJun 11, 2020
Corporate Actors Challenged in Lincoln County, OR: Ecosystem, Petitioners Defend Ordinance
Press Release: Petitioners in Lincoln County, OR filed a detailed appeal to a court decision that overturned a local law banning aerially sprayed pesticides as a violation of people’s right to clean air, water, and soil and natural ecosystems’ rights. The Siletz River ecosystem was denied intervention in the case.
Read More | News, Press ReleasesJun 9, 2020
New Hampshire Supreme Court: Allow People to Defend Against Corporate Lawsuits
Nottingham, New Hampshire residents appeal Supreme Court to defend their Freedom from Chemical Trespass Ordinance. Adopted in 2019, this ordinance secures the right to a climate system capable of sustaining human societies, bans all corporate activities that infringe that right, and grants residents the right to defend the law in court.
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press ReleasesJun 2, 2020
Stand With George Floyd: Life > Property
When violent police forces rooted in white supremacy defend property rather than human beings, then property destruction becomes a collective act of self-defense. CELDF stands in solidarity with protesters outraged by racial injustice and violence. #BlackLivesMatter
Read More | Blogs, Defunding Violence, NewsJun 1, 2020
Press Release: Columbus Protecting Democracy During a Pandemic
Communities across the country are watching as their rights are violated in the name of Covid. Now more than ever we see people rising up to demand democracy.
Read More | News, Press ReleasesApr 20, 2020
50 Years of Earth Day – What Are We Celebrating?
This year CELDF will be hosting an online Q&A with organizers who have been engaging communities across the country in paradigm-shifting work for decades.
Read More | Community Wires, Events, News from the GrassrootsApr 6, 2020
People Power in a Time of Pandemic
In this interview, Kai speaks on the current state of community rights, gives an explanation of the events taking place in Grant Township, and talks about how we must take this time during Covid-19 to progress forward in the movement.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Rights of NatureMar 30, 2020
Corporate America is on Offense, Local Communities Can Be Too
Government allies and corporate interests are treating the global pandemic as a business opportunity. Communities enduring this crisis are taking bold and necessary actions to exercise their powers of self-governance where governments are not functioning in the way people want or need.
Read More | News, News from the GrassrootsMar 17, 2020
Community Stories: Claiming the Law
Bryan Twitchell shares a guest blog about the Wet’suwet’en First Nation’s ongoing resistance to the Coastal GasLink pipeline in British Columbia, Canada.
Read More | Blogs, Community Wires, NewsMar 4, 2020
Press Release: Grant Township Injection Well Ban Stands, Court Denies ‘Collateral Attack’ from DEP
A decision fro a judge in Grant Township argues that local governing authority is necessary to protect the community’s constitutional rights in the face of harmful state oil and gas policies.
Read More | News, Press ReleasesJan 27, 2020
Press Release: Lake Erie’s Day in Court
Organizations, activists, government officials, and hundreds of others from around the world support the Lake Erie Bill of Rights as oral arguments in federal court are held tomorrow.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsJan 19, 2020
The Blade: Lake Erie’s fate
The Lake Erie Bill of Rights is part of a growing movement, and people are joining. What will the courts do?
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsDec 19, 2019
Susquehanna: 2019: A Historic Year, and We Are Just Getting Started
2019 has been a remarkable year for CELDF and our partner communities. Check out what we are celebrating!
Read More | News from the Grassroots, Press Releases & BlogsNov 11, 2019
Media Statement: Settlement Announced with Oil and Gas Industry Seeking Monetary Award: Ban Against Injection Wells Continues
Following settlement of one of the lawsuits against Grant Township, PA, for daring to protect its water from a frack wastewater injection well, the township continues to stand up to the oil and gas industry.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsNov 4, 2019
Press Release: Election 2019: Corporations Are Determining What Gets Voted On
Efforts are growing to not only determine how people vote, but what gets voted on. Your ballot measures are not yours to democratically determine.
Read More | Press Releases & BlogsOct 16, 2019
Press Release: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Attacks 4-Year-Old Community Water Protection Law
The people’s own Department of Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania sues Grant Township to overturn a democratically enacted Home Rule charter that includes a ban on fracking wastewater injection wells. This was their day in court.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsOct 10, 2019
Media Statement: Constitutional Amendment Introduced in Pennsylvania
Community Rights advances to the state level as a Pennsylvania legislator introduces the “Local Self-Government Amendment,” elevating people and communities over corporations.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & Blogs, Success StoryOct 2, 2019
Media Statement: Court Issues Decision on Two Year Aerial Pesticides Ban in Lincoln County, Oregon
Lincoln County, Oregon, community members prepare to appeal judge’s denial of their right to protect themselves from aerial sprayed pesticides.
Read More | Community Wires, Press Releases & BlogsAug 22, 2019
Bloomberg Environment: Tif Over Local Control of Aquifer Pours Into Ohio High Court
The Ohio Farm Bureau and corporate agribusiness urge the Ohio Supreme Court to block Williams County voters from casting ballots on the people’s own initiative.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 21, 2019
Press Release: Democracy Challenged in Williams County, Petitioners Appeal to Ohio Supreme Court Again
Williams County, Ohio, residents partner with CELDF to fight for their right to vote in the Ohio Supreme Court.
Read More | Community Wires, Democratic Rights, News, Press ReleasesAug 20, 2019
The Bryan Times Letter to the Editor
A Williams County, Ohio, resident speaks out on protecting the rights of communities and nature through a county charter and voting.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsAug 12, 2019
Bryan Times: Forum: County charter being stonewalled
Williams County, Ohio, residents are working to protect their county’s water source from privatization. Their own government is trying to stop them.
Read More | Community Wires, News from the GrassrootsJul 22, 2019
Press Release: Ballot Access Stymied in Ohio and Washington
The corporate state attempts to strip democratic rights in Ohio and Washington state. CELDF supports communities as together they fight back.
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press ReleasesJul 17, 2019
CELDF on the Daily Show: The Fight to Turn Lake Erie into a Person
The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta covers Toledo residents’ work to protect Lake Erie by recognizing the Lake’s rights…and he takes the Lake’s…hand in marriage?!
Read More | Community Wires, News from the Grassroots, Success StoryJun 6, 2019
Media Release: Tacoma, WA, Group Files First Amendment SCOTUS Petition to Protect Local Ballot Access
With CELDF-supported attorneys, Tacoma, WA, residents filed a 1st Amendment petition with the Supreme Court challenging continued denial of ballot access for qualified citizen initiatives.
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press ReleasesMay 8, 2019
Media Statement: A Human Right to Survive is Born in Denver
“This idea of a real human right to survive in the 21st century … was born – through the determination and commitment of the people who live [in Denver].”
Read More | Community Wires, News, Press Releases