On November 2, 2021, New York State voters passed a ballot measure enshrining in the State Constitution the right to a “healthful environment.” The new “green amendment” or “Environmental Rights Amendment” (ERA) places New...more
Key Takeaways Likened by some to motherhood and apple pie, the Environmental Rights Amendment was adopted by New York with a resounding “Yes” on November 2, 2021, with approximately 68% of voters approving the new amendment....more
The Environmental Rights Amendment (Green Amendment) was passed by the New York State Senate and Assembly in consecutive legislative sessions. Because this fulfills New York State’s requirement for a constitutional amendment,...more
In May 1971, at the beginning of the modern environmental movement, Pennsylvania voters approved an Environmental Rights Amendment (ERA) to the state’s constitution. Article I, Section 27 provides: The people have a right to...more
This post, which is the second in a two-part series exploring the scope of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment (the “ERA”), will delve deeper into the text of the ERA as analyzed and explained by the Pennsylvania...more
In 1971, the citizens of Pennsylvania overwhelmingly approved a proposed amendment to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Constitution’s Declaration of Rights, now known as the “Environmental Rights Amendment” (ERA). The...more
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently issued a landmark decision regarding Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, also known as the “Environmental Rights Amendment.” This amendment holds significance to...more
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court continues to expand the reach of the Environmental Rights Amendment to the state Constitution. Adopted in 1971, the Environmental Rights Amendment recognizes that the people have a right to...more
A 5-to-1 majority of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently confirmed that the text of the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution (Article 1, Section 27) is the appropriate standard of judicial...more
With a bang, rather than a whimper, the saga of Pennsylvania’s Act 13 appears to have finally come to an end. On September 28, 2016, nearly three years after giving teeth to the long-dormant environmental rights amendment to...more