The day after Christmas, the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
rejected a titusville charter amendment approved by 83% of local voters
for Right to Clean Water (RTCW).
We recognize the overwhelming support of this charter amendment by
the residents of the City of Titusville and the admirable policies
of the amendment. However, the Legislature in drafting section
403.412(9)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act has not authorized
the types of rights provided for in the charter amendment. As such,
an appellate court has no power to change or alter what the
Legislature mandated.
A week before, the Montana Supreme Court upheld a youth climate case, based on Montana’s 1972 Environmental Rights Amendment.
Florida needs to catch up to Montana and Pennsylvania.
“[Montana’s] constitution does not require that dead fish
float on the surface of our state’s rivers and streams before its
farsighted environmental protections can be invoked.”
—Justice Trieweiler, Montana Supreme Court, MEIC v. Montana
DEQ 1999
Florida Right to Clean Water, Please sign the petition, Join Montana and Pennsylvania
Florida needs a Right to Clean Water in the state constitution
to reverse that legislative pre-emption and to go farther in protecting Florida’s waters, like Montana and Pennsylvania have already done.
Go here to have your copy of the petition mostly filled out for you:
https://bit.ly/FRTCW-petition
QR Code, Florida RTCW Petition
Or do it yourself by getting a copy at
https://floridarighttocleanwater.org
WWALS and many other organizations hand out petitions at festivals and outings.
Montana has a state Environmental Rights Amendment (ERA).
Pennsylvania also has an ERA, and its Supreme Court has upheld similar cases.
Amy Beth Hanson, Associated Press, December 18, 2024,
Montana Supreme Court upholds state judge’s landmark ruling in youth climate case Continue reading →