Sidsel Overgaard of KUNM New Mexico's Community Powered Public Radio reports on Las Vegas, New Mexico's historic action to pass a Community Bill of Rights ordinance to protect their water and prohibit shale gas drilling and fracking.

Grassroots organizing. Local communities reinserting themselves into the decision making process that impacts their communities. “We the People” reclaiming our role in democracy. Those elements serve as the most effective tools at our disposal today to fight the environmental battles of the 21st century says Thomas Linzey, Executive Director and co-founder of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. “There cannot be sustainability unless people who are impacted by certain decisions are actually making the decisions about what impacts their communities,” Linzey said in a recent interview with Wisdom Voices.

Our Times host Craig Barnes interviews CELDF's Executive Director Thomas Linzey on the Community Rights Movement emerging out of CELDF's grassroots work across the country with local municipalities to subordinate corporate rights to the rights of communities to self-governance.

Sidsel Overgaard of KUNM, New Mexico's Community Powered Public Radio, interviews CELDF's Thomas Linzey about elevating community rights and rights of nature above corporate "rights" to protect local communities and ecosystems.

CELDF's Executive Director Thomas Linzey is interviewed by Faren Dancer of KTRC 1260 AM "Unicopia Green Radio" on corporate "rights", and how communities are using their local municipal government to elevate community rights above those claimed by corporations.

Which president told Congress: “I recommend a law prohibiting all corporations from contributing to the campaign expenses of any party…let individuals contribute as they desire; but let us prohibit in effective fashion all corporations from making contributions for any political purpose, directly or indirectly?” If you recognize this Presidential quote, it probably means you’re a history buff (or you watch too much Jeopardy). The correct answer: Who was Theodore Roosevelt? While the speech has become a notable quotable, it’s often forgotten that it followed public outrage surrounding Roosevelt’s acceptance of huge corporate contributions that locked-in his election in 1904.

Rose Alguilar, host of Your Call in San Francisco, CA on KALW 97.1FM, interviews CELDF's Executive Director Thomas Linzey and Global Exchange's Director of Community Organizing Shannon Biggs about how communities can organize to change local laws to protect themselves from corporate interests and create the communities they envision.

William Evans, host of KDNK Community Radio program Shifting Gears in Carbondale, CO, interviews CELDF's Associate Director Mari Margil on the structure of law we live under that limits us from asserting our rights to health and the rights of nature--and how we can assert those rights through a grassroots movement.

William Evans, host of KDNK Community Radio program Shifting Gears in Carbondale, CO, interviews CELDF's Executive Director Thomas Linzey on using municipal law-making to stop unwanted corporate projects and create the sustainable communities people envision.

William Evans, host of KDNK Community Radio program Shifting Gears in Carbondale, CO, interviews CELDF's Executive Director Thomas Linzey on using municipal law-making to stop unwanted corporate projects and create the sustainable communities people envision.

When it comes to taking action against a corporation that has violated your rights, it seems as though it is going to be an uphill battle. The corporations are equipped with an army of attorneys, have very deep pockets and seem to have mastered the art of manipulation, especially when it comes to dealing with beaurocracy. However, there is hope. Citizens can actually take matters into their own hands at the local level, where justice can be served. Enter the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. The CELDF works with communities across the country – from New England to California, from Pennsylvania and Virginia, to Spokane, Washington....In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Ben Price about how citizens can take action at the local level!

The recent “occupy” movements across the country – including a now bundled-up contingent in the center of Spokane – continue to raise one of the major political questions of our times: “How do people fix a clearly broken system?”

The stone is cast and the amendment to ban drilling will appear on the Peters Township ballot. The stage is set and as maybe predicted based on past behavior, the informal fallacy argumentum ad baculum (appeal to the stick) will be launched by those opposed to the drilling ban.

With a corporate challenge to its local law, you might think South Fayette finds itself in the middle of a battle over democratic local self-governance. But by avoiding the core question of who has rights in South Fayette Township (the people, or corporations?), and by attempting to regulate the location of fracking in a way the State seems to say is legal, rather than banning it on the grounds that fracking is a violation of fundamental rights that belong to everyone, the municipality set up its residents for a fall nine months ago, and hundreds of other municipalities are following the same legal advice: to color inside the lines; work within the system; and don’t rock the boat.

CELDF Comment: ex-PA Governor and gas fracking industry consultant Tom Ridge: "Critics of the industry...you have to ignore those folks,” Mr. Ridge said. “Accidents will happen. If you’re going to make the perfect the enemy of the good, that’s the wrong mindset.” ...and Matt Pitzarella, spokesman for Range Resources, one of the largest players in the industry...believes there is a “highly organized, highly motivated base of opposition” to gas drilling. Organizations like the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund visit small towns and work with local officials to draft ordinances designed to keep gas companies out, he said.

Thomas Linzey, Executive Director of CELDF, participates in a panel discussion on the history and development of the rights of nature, hosted by The Pachamama Alliance.

Join us! CELDF’s Gail Darrell will be on KMUD radio in Humboldt County, California this Sunday, April 3rd from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm PT.