Resources

Green Amendments are self-executing provisions added to the bill of rights section of a constitution that recognize and protect the rights of all people, including future generations, to pure water, clean air, a stable climate, and a healthy environment. Read more about why Green Amendments are important:

Demanding and Defending Your Rights to Clean Air, Clean Water, & a Healthy Environment
How Green Amendments Protect Key Environmental Rights — Expert Analysis by Founder M.K. van Rossum for Law360
Green Amendment Frequently Asked Questions & Their Answers

Here’s The Story, an Emmy nominated show that premiered in 2011 and is produced by acclaimed journalist Steve Rogers, is now featuring a multi-part series featuring the Green Amendment movement. The show joins Maya as she explores the history of the Green Amendment movement and meets with environmental, political and legal leaders key to the movements past, present and future. Among those interviewed is NJ Governor Phil Murphy, PA Senator Franklin Kury who originally conceived of the idea for PA, and the chief justice who wrote the iconic opinion that helped launch the movement.

You can watch the show, see Facebook live chats with some of the key players, and see the full interviews that were conducted as part of the show here: Here’s the Story: The Green Amendment

The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right to a Healthy Environment, written by Green Amendments For the Generations Founder Maya van Rossum, lays out an inspiring new agenda for environmental advocacy, one that will finally empower people, level the playing field, and provide real hope for communities everywhere. The Green Amendment was selected as the 2018 Living Now Evergreen Awards GOLD Winner in the Nature Conservation category. The book also received an honorable mention from the 2017 Foreword Indies Book of the Year awards in the category ecology and environment.

Pennsylvania:

Robinson Twp, Delaware Riverkeeper Network et.al. v. Commonwealth : pro-fracking law defeated as unconstitutional
PEDF v. Commonwealth: misappropriation of environmental funds secured through fracking leases on public lands a constitutional concern
Delaware Riverkeeper Network v. PADEP re Bishop Tube: failure of state to act to address decades of high level site contamination is a constitutional concern
Marple Township Commissioners Rely on Art 1 Section 27: reject damaging development that would have devastated treasured woodland, the Don Guanella Woods
PFAS Protections: Pennsylvania Government Advances PFAS Standards to Protect Environmental Rights & Fulfill Constitutional Green Amendment Obligation
PEDF IV: Supreme Court speaks to the constitutional environmental rights of future generations.
Center Coalfield Justice v. PADEP : longwall coal mining permit revision unlawful as constitutional violation
Friends of Lackawanna v. PADEP : landfill renewal permit ordered modified to address historic groundwater contamination
PA Attorney General Empanels Grand Jury to investigate systemic failures of government regards to the environmental and community impacts fracking
PA Attorney General is routinely using the PA Green Amendment to support environmental protection efforts
Gov Wolf Vetoes law that prohibited communities from instituting plastic ban protections
PA Public Utilities Commission re Transource Powerline: PUC Administrative Law Judge recommends denial of powerline approval that later adopted by the PUC Commissioners.
Marple Township v Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission: affirming obligation of all government to conduct a constitutionally-based environmental assessment of proposed action as part of decision making.

Montana:

MEIC v. Montana DEQ : industrial gold mining permit rescinded for failure to consider and protect natural resources
Cape France Enterprises v. Estate of Peed: court rejected ordering specific performance of a drilling contract that could have contaminated groundwater supply
Park Cty Envtl Council & Greater Yellowstone Coalition v. MT DEA & Lucky Minerals: gold mining exploration license vacated and state law deemed unconstitutional for exempting activities from essential environmental reviews.
Held v. State of Montana: Youth Climate Legal Action withstands motion to dismiss largely because of environmental rights (in other states without a Green Amendment similar cases have been dismissed).

New York: