By Mark Lichty, Executive Producer, Groundswell Rising
Our faith group, the Unitarian Environmental Justice Committee, on this momentous 50th anniversary of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment (ERA), will recognize Senator Franklin Kury for his tireless work in protecting Pennsylvania’s cherished environment.
On May 18, 1971, Pennsylvania’s voters ratified by a four-to-one margin what is now Article I, Section 27 of our state constitution known as the Environmental Rights Act (ERA), which provides in part:
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.
Franklin, over 50 years ago, saw the terrible carnage that the coal industry had visited on our state’s streams. He conceived of creating an amendment to the constitution which would permanently provide environmental protection in Pennsylvania.
When we filmed Franklin, I noticed on his kitchen wall copies of Picasso’s paintings of Don Quixote. These reminded him that one can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. He won his legislative seat against overwhelming odds, and he maneuvered this landmark amendment through the legislative process. Now Pennsylvania has been joined by two other states, Montana and Hawaii,in having such amendments in their constitutions.
Franklin is a true Don Quixote, striving to “right the unrightable wrong.” His actions may inspire the reader who encounters “an unbeatable foe” to pause and remember the courage and persistence of Franklin Kury.
Franklin wrote a book entitled The Constitutional Question to Save The Planet: The People’s Right to a Healthy Environment. The book is a review of the environmental history of Pennsylvania and the nation and how the ERA came to be.
The Environmental Justice Award was presented virtually May 13 at 7 pm. He discussed his new book, and Mark Lichty’s short film, Pennsylvania: A Fractured State, on the ERA was shown.
Franklin’s words here may inspire our public officials to embrace their constitutional duty of “trusteeship”:
“Climate change is the greatest threat ever to Pennsylvania and the world. It threatens our survival on the earth. Coal and gas from Pennsylvania are major contributors to carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change. I urge our legislators to use their trusteeship powers under Article 1, Section 27 to transition out of coal and gas and into energy sources that are carbon free.”
Franklin “Don Quixote” Kury , you have redefined what is possible. Thank you.
Don Quixote Exists in Pennsylvania
June 26, 2021