FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Randy Lyon, randy.lyon@mdsierra.org, 240-893-3704
Maryland Sierra Club Makes Enacting the Environmental Rights Amendment to the State Constitution a Priority for 2022
Riverdale, MD — The Executive Committee of the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club voted on Wednesday to make enactment of the proposed Environmental Human Rights Amendment to the Maryland Constitution a priority for 2022. In doing so, the Chapter joins citizens’ groups across the state, including the Maryland Campaign for Environmental Human Rights, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Maryland State Conference, and other community, environmental, faith-based, legal, and public health stakeholders who support the Amendment.
The proposed Amendment would raise the right to a healthful environment to the level of constitutional protection. In its current form the language states:
(A) That each person, as a matter of basic human dignity, has a fundamental and inalienable right to a healthful, sustainable environment.
(B) That the State, as trustee, shall protect, conserve, manage and enhance Maryland’s natural and cultural resources, including its air, lands, waters, wildlife, and ecosystems, for the benefit and enjoyment of both present and future generations.
To be adopted, Maryland’s proposed Amendment will need to receive a three-fifths vote in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly and then be approved by voters on the ballot next November. Several other states have enacted similar amendments, and New York State voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to vote on an amendment for that state.
By elevating the right to a healthful environment to the same level as such fundamental rights as freedoms of the press, religion, and speech, the Amendment would provide constitutionally based protections in addition to those set forth in existing environmental laws and regulations. It would also empower Maryland residents to hold state and local governments accountable for violations of their environmental rights. The Amendment also makes explicit the State’s role as a steward for future generations.
The Amendment is expected to provide significant benefit to marginalized areas of the state that have borne disproportionate health impacts from pollution and other environmental degradation. Just this week, Pennsylvania's governor strengthened environmental justice actions in that state via executive order, based on Pennsylvanians' constitutional right to a clean, healthy environment.
The Chapter expects to mobilize volunteers across Maryland in support of the proposed Amendment, which has resonated strongly with the Club’s members and supporters. As part of this effort, the Chapter will be launching a student campaign, led by Luca Grifo-Hahn, on Monday.
About the Sierra Club
Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is America’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. The Maryland Chapter has over 75,000 members and supporters, and the Sierra Club nationwide has over 800,000 members and nearly four million supporters.