Delaware Riverkeeper Maya Van Rossum spoke in Gainesville Monday, March 26 to a group of people interested in clean air, pure water and a healthy environment. She has recently published The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right To A Healthy Environment (2017.)
In her talk, Van Rossum discusses her book and spoke passionately about the irony that our federal constitution does not give us the right to clean air, water and environment. Although these are not rights guaranteed to all, two states, Montana and Pennsylvania, have some form of state constitutional rights. Most other states have some form of environmental protection laws, but, as we know all too well in Florida, they do not, in reality, protect our environment.
Van Rossom discussed at length the famous ACT 13, a fracker’s dream that allowed nearly unlimited fracking in Pennsylvania, and its demise, rendered by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in December of 2013. Proof that fracking can be defeated partially at least.
Her message is that each state must enact its own Green Amendment to protect its environment. She outlined the difficulties in this, which reminds us of our ill-fated Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative Amendment 1 of 2014, passed with conviction by over 70 per cent of the voters, but distorted, ignored, ridiculed and worse by our arrogant legislators who thought they had the power and right pay it no heed.
Which brings us to our oft-touted solution of litigation or a change of leaders.
We thank Maya Van Rossum for her spirit and energy and willingness to share her message, even traveling great distances. Thanks also go principally to Deanna Mericle as point of contact for organizing the event for Suwannee St John’s Group Sierra Club. Deanna drove a long way to Gainesville from Hamilton County. Thanks also to Roberta Gastmeyer and Sherry Steiner for their help, and to Lu Merritt for publicizing it.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
-A river is like a life: once taken, it cannot be brought back-
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