First Pennsylvania Community Rights Network Chapter Formed in Northwestern Pennsylvania

In February 2010, the Legal Defense Fund began laying the Groundwork for a People’s Constitutional Convention by launching the Pennsylvania Community Rights Network. The network was formed to organize a people’s convention of delegates, representing municipal communities, who will propose constitutional changes to secure the inalienable right to local, community self-government free of state and corporate preemption.

In July, the first chapter was formed – The Northwestern Pennsylvania Community Rights Network (NWPACRN). They are a network of citizens committed to protecting their communities in northwestern Pennsylvania. The Network acknowledges the inherent rights of human and natural communities and recognizes the authority of the people to assert local, community self-government to protect their health, safety, welfare, and environment from corporate assaults like that posed by the development of Marcellus Shale gas. The oil and gas industry has targeted Pennsylvania for Marcellus Shale gas extraction. This destructive development is destroying the drinking water of the commonwealth, polluting aquatic habitats and aquifers, and permanently altering the landscape of Pennsylvania.
The Northwestern Pennsylvania Community Rights Network understands that it is time to protect our communities through an aggressive rights-based initiative, which establishes the right to local decision-making on issues with direct local impact. The Network questions the use of “regulation” (adjusting and documenting the rate of destruction) and “mitigation” (putting Band-Aids on amputations), which negotiate away the absolute rights of people, communities and nature.

For more information on the Northwestern Chapter check out their webpage at nwpacrn.wordpress.com.