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Support the Lake Erie Bill of Rights

 

An Open Letter in Support of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights and the Rights of Nature...

 

Dear Defenders and Advocates of Lake Erie,

 

The world is watching as the campaign for the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (LEBOR) continues to fight for placement on the special election ballot scheduled for February 26, 2019.  Even though LEBOR received the unanimous vote from Toledo City Council on December 4, 2018, another obstacle was placed in the way at the December 10 Board of Elections meeting. A formal protest to keep LEBOR off the ballot was filed by a single city elector represented by McTigue and Colombo in Columbus, Ohio. The law firm has represented protests to keep other Bills of Rights off the ballot in other Ohio cities including Columbus and Bowling Green. A hearing is scheduled to take place on December 20th.

 

The Lake Erie Bill of Rights is a first-in-the-nation Ecosystem Rights of Nature law put forward by the people to protect a distinct natural body of water and ecosystem.

 

Toledoans for Safe Water, the grassroots organization in Toledo behind the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, became engaged in rights-based organizing after the 2014 Water Crisis. Nearly 500,000 individuals were unexpectedly left without drinkable, useable water for three days due to a toxic algal bloom in the Western Basin of Lake Erie.

Since that time Toledoans have been increasingly frustrated by the lack of action and accountability in stopping the unnecessary and preventable destruction to our drinking water and the Lake Erie ecosystem. The government response to prepare for the next harmful algal bloom season included more water testing and advanced warning systems, increased chemical treatment, and voluntary nutrient reduction plans by industrial agriculture. These are inadequate and unacceptable responses to this systemic political and environmental problem.

 

Rights of nature supports a new legal framework for addressing environmental issues by giving citizen groups standing to sue major polluters on behalf of Lake Erie in civil court, enabling citizens to directly address pollution and harm to their drinking water before the harm occurs. Currently, the corporations that pollute our waterways hold more rights than the communities that drink the water or the water ecosystem itself.

 

As stewards of this delicate ecosystem, we recognize our responsibility to protect the very system that sustains us. We assert our right to clean air, water, and soil, and the right to enact local laws through our right to self-government. We reject the idea that industry has the authority to disrupt our right to a safe, clean environment for personal or economic gain.

 

The Lake Erie Bill of Rights initiative is part of a growing national Community Rights Movement. Local groups of concerned citizens across the country are fighting for their right to say “no” to unsustainable projects and unjust regulations that threaten their livelihood and well being, as well as nature’s.  Rights of Nature, part of a growing international movement, are recognized in India, Colombia, Ecuador, and New Zealand, and is quickly spreading to more countries such as Australia, Cameroon and Nepal. We ask for your support in order to show our Ohio local and state electeds that we will not be left behind on this global action. If they won’t protect the environment that sustains all life on this planet, then the people will.

                                                                                                                                                     

 

Toledoans for Safe Water

Join the movement. Sign on to this letter as an individual, a business or an organization to show your support for the Lake Erie Bill of Rights and Rights of Nature movement everywhere.

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Thank You to our supporters!

A J Matthews

Abigail King

Adam Wisniewski

Agnes Herrmann Slimak

Aleane Kleckley

Alexis Beshara

Allison King

Amanda J Rost

Amjad Doumani

Amy Oberlin

Andrea Schmidt

Angela Brigle

Angela Mazzolini

Anita Levin

Anna Marie ArsenaArtrong

Anne Craig

Anne Ricciardi

Anne S Wise, MD

Anne Tincher

Annely Germaine

Annely Germaine

Annie Hubatch

Ashley Kijowski

Bailey Mendlik

Barbara Andersen

Barbara B. Davis

Barbara Laxon

Barbara Laxon

Barbara Lee Harding

Barbara Unger Lengen

Barbara VonBenken

Barbara VonBenken

Beatrice Guenther

Ben G. Price

Benjamin Cohen

Bethany Miller

Beverly Rice

Bill Lyons

Bill Wall

Bob Krasen, Member, Columbus Community Bill of Rights

BOES

Boggs Center

Brad Bolton

Bradley E Eldridge

Bradley Eldridge

Bradly Mathias

Brenda C. Kluhsman

Brenda Kluhsman

Brenda Wallace

Brian P. Wells

Brian T. Houlehan

Brian William Taylor

Brittany Meade

Brynn Schmitt

C.A. Matthews, editor The Revolution Continues

Calvin Stewart

Camille George

Carla Rautenberg

Carley RochesterCobb

Carol A Brenstuhl

Carol G. Thombs

Carol S. Cribbs

Casey Riley

Catherine Podojil

Cathy Kortyka

Cavin Atkins

Chad Nicholson

Charles Herndon

Charles W Lynd

Christa Petryszyn

Christine Hughes

Christine Silvestri

Christine Wilcox

Christopher Wojciechowski

Cindy A. Matthews

Cindy Sue Heffran

Clair Van Bloem

Claire Paxton

Colleen (Kay) Kerezy

Columbus Community Bill of Rights

Connie Hammond

Courtney Kundmueller

Courtney Patterson

Craig Robert Clement

Crystal Jankowski

Crystal Zevon

Curt Hubatch

Cynthia Heil

Cynthia Springer

Cynthia Vigliotti

Daniel Hubatch

Daniel Israel Vasquez

Daniel Yount

David Hyde

David L. Blesing, Sr.

David L. Lybarger

David sperling

David Tvedt

Dean Sieck

Deborah L. Hogshead

Debra Hill

Debra K Shankland

Debra Weaver

Del Ehresman

Denise Phillips

Dennis G. Lambert

Dennis R. Lieb

Desiray Liner

Diane St Germain

Dolores Whitman

Donna Heim

Donna Koch

Dorothy Silver

Doug Pribe

Douglas Braun

Douglas R. Darrell

Dr. Suzanne Patzer

Drake Chamberlin

Dutch

Edson A Knight

Elaine Hullihen

Elaine McCrate

Elayna Duitman

Elizabeth Dunne

Elizabeth Erin Shinners

Elizabeth Harding Harrington

Elizabeth Lentz

Ellen Davidson

Ellen E Barfield

Ellen Greene Bush

Ellen Shelburne

Emelyn Lybarger

Emily Evans

Emily Poor

Emma Shook

Eric Everhard

Eric K. Deamer

Erik P. Stark

Erin Bell

Erin Dumond

Eron King

Eva Barr

Evan Har

Ferne Clements

Forest Jahnke

Gary Freed

Gehard Bedding

Georgeanna DeCarlo

Gered Crawford

Gerhard Bedding

Gerry Werhan

Gloria Tavera

Greg Coleridge

Gregory Zyzanski

Hamilton

Hanna Harrington

Heather Hurwitz

Helen A. Spalding

Henrietta Bibbs

Hilary Tote

Ingrid Martine

Isaac jw Coblentz

Isabel T.

James Parrish

Jan Bliss

Jane E. Jacobson

Jane Miller

Jane Penwell

Janet S. Curry

JANICE KINCHY

Jeanette Eckert

Jeanne Haseley

Jeffery B. Johnston

Jeffery R Klein

Jeffrey Lee Eldridge

Jennifer Dube

Jennifer Flynn

Jennifer Harris

Jennifer Karches

Jeremy Crawford

Jess Dannery

Jill wyse

Jim Herold

Jim Tripp

JoAnn Baker Paul

Joanne McCarthy

Jocelyn Langworthy

Jody Dana

Jody NiibinKwe Bond

Joe it’s Crawford

John G Booker Jr

John Holian

John Lipaj

John Michael Durback

John Proch

John W. Herberg

Jonathan Koenig

Joseph Cronin

Josh Jankowski

Joshua B. Pribanic

judith fredrichs

Julia Harding

Julie Nieset

Julie Regula

Julie Regula

Julie Stepp

Justine Smith

Kai Huschke

Karen Berger

Karen Dahn

Karen Porter

Karen Wood

Karen Yount

karl novak

Karla Neeley

Karyn Deibel

Katherine Abboushi

Katherine Kinstler

Kathie Jones

Kathleen Brigidina

Kathleen Helbling

Kathleen J. Bradley

Kathryn Mockensturm

Kathy McGlone

Kathy Mockensturm

Katie Geiser

Keith Sadler

Keith Wilson

Keleen McDevitt

Kelly Jacobs

Kenneth Ashe

Kenny Jones

Kent Chamberlin

Kim Mann

Kimberly Kavanaug

Kristal Moore

Kristin Hady

Kristine

Kyle Stroempl

Larry Askins

Larry N. Marsh

Laura coholich

Laura M. Ohanian

Laura McEwen

Laurel Gress

Lauren Biernacki

Lauren Sargent, PhD

Laurie L. Espinosa

Lawrence Schermbeck

Lee Balek

Lehigh University

Libby Loser

Linda Grove

Linda New

Lisa A. Kavanaugh

Lisa Kochheiser

Lisa LeVally Evans

lois romanoff

Lonnie Jo Hynds aka Bierlair aka White

Loretta Huston

Lori Ann Mottolo

Lou Pendleton

Louie Columbus

Louis J. Brodnik

Lyle Brigle

Lynne Marshall

Make More Love

Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck

Marcia Goldstein, Athens, Ohio

Mardy Townsend

Maria Koch

Maria Sause

marilyn k hunt

Marilyn Matevia

Markie Miller

Martina One Star

Mary Ann Schaepper

Mary Ann Schaepper

Mary Costello

Mary Emhoff

Mary Gerhart

Mary Igoe Meyers

Mary Louise Hawkins

Mary Malicki

Mary Nutter

Mary Ogden

Mary StollBarnt

Mary Sue Gmeiner

Marylynn Skiver

Matthew JGB Lassiter

Matthew Kuhns

Maud Walsh

Meghan Wynne

Melanie J. Roll

Meryle A. Korn

Michael Davenport

Michael E. Bartus

Michael J Sandman

Michael J. Nestor

Michele Zelazny

Michelle Phillips

Michelle Sanborn

Mike Ferner

Molly McFadden

Molly Reed

Monica Christofili

Monica Kolovich

Mora Dewey

Naia Miller

Nancy J Horton

Nancy liela Wallace Nelson

Nat Cohen

natalie harger

Nathan Ricciardi

Nicole Welever

Nina McLellan

Nolan Mates

nonaffiliated

Ohio resident.

Pamela Nock

Pamela J Crace

Pamela Lee St John

Pamela Patterson

Pamela Unger

Pat Alexander

Pat Walker

Patricia Blochowiak, M.D.

Patricia McGlauchlin

Patrick E. Wright

Patrick Hunter

Patty Sheehan

Paul Helbling

Paul Mirsalis

Peggy Love

Peter Dube

Peter Hug

Phillips Apiary

Piper R Hall

Please Select

Quinn G Walsh

Rachael Bliss

Rachel Wakefield

Randall J Moyer

Randy Hodak

Raymond DiCarlo

Raymond lewis

Rebecca Bundy

Rev Beverly Lewis

Rev Keith A Rasey

Rev. John Wallace

Richard Nock

Richard Ball

Richard C. Schlageter

Richard K.Brackin

Richard Schmidt

Robert Daine

Ron McCutcheon

Rosemary Hug

Ruth Ann Wagner

S. Frey Stegman

Salam hawary

Sam Eldridge

Sandra Engle

Sandra Ryan

Sara Myers

Sara Sadoski

Sarah Householder

Sarah Maxwell

Sarah Moon

Saralise Ward

Sean Nestor

Shannon Thorsen

Sharlane Gubkin

Sherry Straub

Sladjana Krstic

Sonya rihan

Staci Stevens

Stacy Jurich

Stefania Czech

Stephanie Riccobene

Stephen Gabor

Sue Boyd

Susan Catterall

Susan Fowler

Susan Heath

susan knotek

Susan Miller

Susan Righi

Susan Saccardi

Susie Beiersdorfer

Suzanne Halstead

Suzanne M Husband

Suzanne Tayal

Tana Stanton

Tarak Kauff

Teri Utz Bersée

Theresa P Pretlow

Thomas Brazee

Thomas Burnham French

Thomas Filipczak

Thomas Lovdal

Thomas McDonald

Thomas Pretlow

Thomas R Derby

Thomas Wasilewski

Tim Chavez

Tim Collingwood

Tina Ferner

Tish O'Dell

Todd Jelen

Tonia S. Gallagher

Tonya Yanok

Trent McRitchie

Twila Slind

Valerie Bernes

Valerie Hunter

Vanessa Pesec

Vickie Askins

Victoria Hennessy

W. E. White

Walter E. "Ted" Auch PhD, FaCT Ohio Board Member

Wasim Hawary

William Collins

William Lyons

William Thombs

Yi Pang

Yolanda Shy

Yvette Tavernier

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The Lake Erie

    Bill of Rights   

Citizens Initiative  

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