Environmental Rights Amendment Forum Sparks Timely Conversation

Nearly 200 people attended PennFuture’s Environmental Rights Amendment Forum on Sept. 14 at WHYY Studios in Philadelphia. Legal scholars, legislators and state officials discussed Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution—the Environmental Rights Amendment—which guarantees Pennsylvanians the right to clean air, pure water and the preservation of natural, scenic and historic values. Speakers emphasized that the Commonwealth acts as a trustee of these resources for present and future generations.

The forum featured Franklin Kury, the former state senator who authored the amendment, and Professor John Dernbach along with other lawmakers and municipal officials. They traced the amendment’s history, highlighted court cases that have strengthened its interpretation and urged citizens to use it to demand strong environmental stewardship.