Thom Hartmann Show: Can the "Rights of Nature" Save America's Waterways? (w/ Thomas Linzey)-6/25/2021

CDER’s Senior legal Counsel, Thomas Linzey joined Thom Hartmann to give an update on the latest on waterways on Florida. Thomas has worked with Florida environmental leaders to begin collecting signatures to qualify a state constitutional amendment that would recognize legal rights of waterways in the state. The amendment would recognize the legally enforceable rights of all waterways across Florida to “exist, flow, be free from pollution, and maintain a healthy ecosystem.”

The amendment then provides that any Floridian or Florida organization can file a legal action on behalf of those waterways to require their protection, repair, and restoration. This amendment also includes provisions in place to authorize Florida counties, cities, and towns to enact additional protections for waterways. It then shields those municipal enactments from preemption by the state legislature. Video in whole can be found here.