The Patriot-News Friday published a feature story written by Donald Gilliland about the history of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment to the Constitution and its author former Senator and House member Franklin Kury (D-Sunbury) and how it relates today to the recent PA Supreme Court decision on the Act 13 Marcellus Shale drilling law.  It’s a good read.

Article 1, Section 27 of the Constitution says, “"The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."

It was adopted in 1971 by popular vote by a four to one margin.  Click Here to read a history of the amendment by Kury published in the PA Environment Digest in 2008.  Click Here for a summary of Franklin Kury’s book: Clean Politics, Clean Streams: A Legislative Autobiography and Reflections.

NewsClips:

Franklin Kury And 40-Year Fight For Clean Air, Water In PA

5 Questions About Environmental Rights & Marcellus Shale

5 Things To Know About The Environmental Rights Amendment

A Map Of Drilling Sites Across The State

4/7/2014