Citizens of America are always concerned about our rights. The Constitution defines our rights such as freedom to speech, bear arms, and so much more. You would think that we should also have the right to a clean and healthy environment. The Constitution makes no mention of this right.
In the late 1960’s folks began looking at the right for clean air, pure water, and the preservation of natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment. Sadly, this amendment has been ignored.
Only 3 states have an amendment in their constitutions that protect our environmental rights. Pennsylvania, with its extensive oil, coal, and timber resources became the first to adopt this concept of environmental protection.
New York and Montana are the only other states that have a robust constitutional amendment to protect their citizens rights for a Clean Environment.
It is surprising that forty-seven other states have no amendments that guarantee and protect other wildlands and watersheds. There are stronger laws related to air pollution, water pollution, development, and land management. None specifically connects a healthy environment as a human right. This definition would certainly be useful when creating or questioning environmental laws, regulations, and interpretations.
As wind and solar farms begin to cover our landscapes, we need to make sure that they do more good than harm to our citizens and wildlife.
Better to be right!
Montana Grant
