The PA League of Women Voters will honor former Senator Franklin L. Kury (D-Northumberland) and author of the Environmental Rights Amendment to Pennsylvania’s Constitution at a reception on April 7 at the Colonial Ridge Country Club, 4901 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg.

The Environmental Rights Amendment 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."

The amendment 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.

Kury served in the House from  1967 to 1972 and in the Senate from 1972-1980 and his legislative career focused mainly on environmental issues, such as clean streams, air pollution, soil conservation, and waste disposal.  He stated on the House floor that “the real capital of the Nation and Our State is its God-given natural resources.”

 Click Here for a summary of Franklin Kury’s book: Clean Politics, Clean Streams: A Legislative Autobiography and Reflections.

Registration information will be posted on the PA League of Women Voters in the near future.

2/2/2015