Latest News
Community Rights Action is a Fundraiser for CRLC!
This month we’ll be at Falling Sky Delicatessen on Monday, August 21st.
All day long you can present this flyer and CRLC will get 25% of your purchase! Come 
on over after the Eclipse and celebrate our community, friends and Community Rights work.
Then @6pm we’ll have our Community Rights Action meeting there at Falling Sky! Bring your friends, have some dinner and drinks, and you’ll be helping raise money for a good cause!
Lincoln County: Siletz River Takes Legal Action to Defend Its Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Maria Sause
541 574 2961; cell 541 961 6385
Newport, Oregon: This afternoon the Siletz River Ecosystem filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit Rex Capri and Wakefield Farms, LLC v. Dana W. Jenkins and Lincoln County, and Lincoln County Community Rights. This is the third ecosystem in the United States to take legal action to protect its rights, secured in this case by Measure 21-177, which was adopted by Lincoln County voters in the May 2017 election.
The two plaintiffs – Rex Capri of Newport and Wakefield Farms of Eddyville – claim that their “right” to spray toxic pesticides aerially is greater than the right of the people of Lincoln County to protect public health, clean water, and the rights of ecosystems and natural communities not to be poisoned from the air.
Lincoln County Community Rights (LCCR) was granted intervention in the case on July 2, 2017, after the county made it clear that their interest lies merely in getting an opinion from the court and not in actively defending the law adopted by voters in May.
“I have lived in Lincoln County for 43 years in a home surrounded by river and forest. I am part of the ecosystems of Lincoln County,” says Carol Van Strum, advocate for the intervention of the Siletz Ecosystem. “The Declaration of Independence itself asserts that the laws of nature pre-empt human law. Like the Lorax, I speak for the rights of waters and forests and wildlife to challenge human violations of natural law.”
For the first time, the Siletz ecosystem and all Lincoln County natural communities and ecosystems have secured the right to be free from toxic trespass from aerially sprayed pesticides, a right that is essential to ecosystems’ on-going health, function and survival. That right is stated in Section 2(a) of Measure 21-177 or the Freedom from Aerially Sprayed Pesticides Ordinance of Lincoln County.
The Siletz watershed has lost 46% of its forest in the last 16 years. Huge clear-cuts resulting from strip logging abound in the area and have all been aerially sprayed with pesticides multiple times. Barren of vegetation, the steep terrain causes mudslides and pesticide run-off into the river and smaller feeder creeks, posing a high risk of contaminating a major source of drinking water for Lincoln County, and additionally destroying crucial habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Over the last year, high courts in New Zealand, India, and Colombia have recognized rights for rivers as a means of creating a higher standard of protection for those ecosystems. In Ecuador, the federal constitution has recognized rights of nature since 2008, and two different legal cases have affirmed that rivers have rights and that human activity violates those rights. Restitution penalties go to restoring the ecosystem.
“Protecting nature’s rights through law came from rural, conservative Pennsylvania”, says Kai Huschke of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, the public interest law firm representing LCCR and the Siletz Ecosystem. “Decades of environmental destruction in Pennsylvania made it a no brainer for folks there to protect what sustains them at the highest level. Today over three dozen communities in the United States, including Lincoln County, have stepped forward to secure nature’s rights.”
Though the lawsuit continues to move forward, there is no indication as to how soon the court will respond to the motion to intervene by the Siletz River Ecosystem.
ABOUT LINCOLN COUNTY COMMUNITY RIGHTS
Lincoln County Community Rights is a public benefit organization that seeks to educate and empower people to exercise their right of local community self-government in matters that pertain to their fundamental rights, their natural environment, their quality of life, their health and their safety. Given the harms that people and ecosystems suffer from the practice of aerial spraying of industrial forest land with pesticides, the group drafted an ordinance to ban aerial pesticide spraying in Lincoln County, Oregon. Measure 21-177 was adopted by voters in May 2017, making Lincoln County the first county in the United States to ban aerial pesticide spraying through the vote of the people.
http://www.lincolncountycommunityrights.org/press-info/
Press Release: Lincoln County Votes to BAN aerial spraying of pesticides!
Monday, May 23, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Rob Dickinson
[email protected]
541-543-5735
In a monumental vote, the people of Lincoln County asserted their right to clean air and water as well as healthy communities and ecosystems. With 6,928 votes, Measure 21-177, Freedom from Aerial Sprayed Pesticides of Lincoln County ordinance, is passing by 27 votes. About one hundred ballots are in question (mostly due to lack of voter signatures), and once those issues are resolved there will be a final ballot count by the end of May.
With 99% of the vote counted, and the results running 51% for the ordinance and 49% against, the remaining votes would have to deviate markedly from current returns to prevent the ordinance, which prohibits the aerial spray of pesticides, from becoming law.
“Though we have our fingers crossed that we will prevail, this campaign has already been a win because we raised not only the health issue of aerial spraying in the public’s consciousness but also the lengths the corporate timber and chemical industry will go to cover up the truth”, says Maria Kraus of Citizens for a Healthy County, proponents of Measure 21-177. “Something has shifted in this community and people really feel like they need a larger role in determining the future of this county.”
Community Rights Lane County is proud to stand in solidarity with the citizens of Lincoln County. We share their mission to empower communities to secure local self-determination and self-governance rights, superior to corporate power, in order to protect fundamental rights, quality of life, the natural environment, public health, and safety.
The Lane County Freedom from Aerial Spraying of Herbicides Bill of Rights has gained the support of thousands of Lane County voters and will be on the ballot soon. This Bill of Rights would amend the county charter to make it unlawful for corporations or governmental agencies to engage in the aerial spraying of herbicides from helicopters and other airborne vehicles.
This will ensure that all the people of Lane County possess the right to be free from the chemical trespass that occurs when aerially-applied herbicides inevitably fall, drift, or volatilize and expose people, animals, plants, and waterways to chemicals such as glyphosate, atrazine, and others that have been proven to be harmful to humans and the environment.
A second ballot measure would clearly establish that Lane County residents have an inalienable and fundamental right of local self-government – a common sense measure that, nonetheless, has been stripped away by corporate-backed, state pre-emption laws.
The Lane County Self-Government Charter Amendment acknowledges the right of local communities to prevent corporate harms, like aerial spraying, fracking or oil pipelines, with the same authority secured in the Declaration of Independence, the Oregon Constitution, and the United States Constitution.
Lincoln, Lane, Benton, Coos, and Columbia County have united to support a state constitutional amendment that would secure the right of local community self-government. This would allow all Oregon communities to advance greater protections and rights on the grounds of health, safety, and welfare than the state, and to be able to do so without the interference of corporate claimed “rights”. The local self-governing authority would only allow for advancing protections and rights but not for undermining or taking away such protections and rights as already secured by state or federal governments.
While the final tally won’t be known for another week, Community Rights Lane County congratulates the people of Lincoln County on their success in advancing the rights of nature and protecting their community from the unjust practice of aerial spraying. The Community Rights movement is going strong here in Oregon, and we invite everyone in Lane County to get involved in restoring democracy and protecting our community.
PRESS AVAILABILITY
To learn more about the ballot measure in Lincoln County and the charter amendments in Lane County, contact: Rob Dickinson at (541-543-5735) or Ann Kneeland at (541-514-9720).
Phone Banking for Lincoln County
Yes on 21-177 campaign needs Your help!
This is your chance to make a difference in the campaign for Lincoln County’s right to choose what is acceptable behavior for logging practices in Lincoln County. It is a first step that will seed other successful actions across the state and further afield. It is also a wake up call to our local and state governing bodies that we will no longer be ignored or placated through non-action – legislation to protect water and fish habitat being killed in committee -while extraction of our resources continues 
without balance.
Phone calls to Lincoln Co. voters can be done by any willing volunteers over this last week by emailing Debra<[email protected] or Rebecca <[email protected]> and they will send you a pdf file by email that you may print out and use to call voters urging them to vote and stand up with county residents for our health, protection of our natural resources, and the vital role healthy forests play in a habitable earth by voting YES! to ban aerial (aircraft) spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County! It’s easy to do, we’ll be available to answer questions.
A YES vote in Lincoln County Helps us ALL!
Democracy School in Eugene
Community Rights Lane County along with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund are bringing Democracy School to Eugene!
Lane County residents are threatened with a handful of corporate harms (aerial spraying), and are organizing to stop the toxic poisoning of their community. As part of our work, we are holding CELDF’s Democracy School – a stimulating and illuminating course that teaches residents and activists how to reframe exhausting and often discouraging single issue work (such as opposing fossil fuel extraction/transportation, aerial spraying, GMOs, etc.) in a way that we can confront corporate control and state preemption on a powerful single front: people’s inalienable rights.
WHERE: First United Methodist Church / 1376 Olive St. Eugene
WHEN: Friday, June 2nd, 6:00 – 9:00p.m / Saturday, June 3rd, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m
You Must Register and PAY for this Event!
Action YOU Can Take!
Do you want to help (and really don’t want to collect signatures), but aren’t sure what to do?
As an organization working towards a better place to live, we feel everyone must work towards that goal in their own way. So while some organizations are…
- writing more protective laws in the places they live,
- others are driving to Salem to talk with elected officials,
- while others are out there standing in front of trucks!
We all do what we can, and we want to help YOU do your part by sharing this Action.
Ultimately we’d like to ban aerial spraying in all of Oregon. Working towards that goal, we’ll write letters of support for the legislative bills being introduced this session. And while we don’t hold our breathe that the legislature will save the day (give the people what they really want), we do want to support the efforts of those that work towards reforming the Forest Practices Act in any way.
Below is information on bills that were introduced. We’ve also provided a sample letter for you to send your elected official in Salem. If you don’t know who that is, find your Oregon legislator.
The Timber Aerial Spray Right to Know bill – SB 892
SB 892 | Summary: Requires filing notice with State Forestry Department of proposed aerial application of pesticide as planned forest management activity on privately owned forestland. | The original bill as introduced->> | -1 amendment->>
Statement of the problem
In Oregon, the law allows corporate timber companies to use helicopters to spray herbicides over their tree farms. Until 2015 Oregon had no protective no-spray buffer zones to protect people and pets on their home property or children at schools. Also, under Oregon law, aerial spray applicators don’t have to provide records of their pesticide use, which leaves agencies and the public unable to monitor the impacts of chemical use in forestry.
After a failure in the legislature, corporate interests interfered and the new rules require only a 60 ft. no-spray zone for homes and school buildings. Truly, this was a disappointing outcome after so much effort, and it is barely a band aid on a major hemorrhage. What’s needed is to ban aerial sprays on timber lands because of the extreme risk to human health, drinking water purity and impacts to wildlife.
The 2015 Legislature also refused to pass a law requiring the Dept. of Forestry to provide timely notification to residents, schools, medical and public facilities prior to aerial pesticide applications on nearby industrial timber land. Oregonians need timely notification, at the very least, to protect their children and pets, recognizing that livestock, gardens and drinking water will still be vulnerable.
SOLUTION
Until Oregon acts to ban aerial sprays, we must ensure the Legislature provides as many protections as possible to people impacted by aerial sprays. Oregon can start helping vulnerable rural families now by passing SB 892!
The Benefits of SB 892
SB 892 fixes two problems:
- ADVANCED WARNING FOR AERIAL SPRAYS: Rural residents need a warning prior to an aerial spray. A warning will help residents ensure the safety of their family and pets. E-warnings can be issued by the FERNS Notification system, a web-based, centralized database of all forestry operations managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry. The FERNS system can send out e-notifications to anyone requesting timely notification.
- REPORTING PESTICIDE USE: SB 892 requires a spray applicator to file spray records with the Dept. of Forestry within five days following a spray operation. The proposed rule is necessary because Oregonians have the right to know the extent of herbicide use in our watersheds, habitat lands and communities. Better communication would allow impacted communities and agencies to work collaboratively to minimize risk. Requiring the Spray Record uses existing regulatory infrastructure, such as FERNS and mandatory spray record keeping.
Introduced by Senator Michael Dembrow
Legislators who support it:
Chief Sponsors: Senator Michael Dembrow – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1723 | Email
Co-Sponsors: Rep. Paul Holvey – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1408 | Email
To be considered by the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Use this email: [email protected]. (Important!)
Also send individual emails to all 5 members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to urge their strong support for SB 892.
- Chair: Senator Michael Dembrow – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1723 | Email
- Vice-Chair: Senator Alan Olsen – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1720 | Email
- Member: Senator Herman Baertschiger Jr. – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1702 | Email
- Member: Senator Floyd Prozanski – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1704 | Email
- Member: Senator Arnie Roblan – Capitol Phone: 503-986-1705 | Email
Don’t forget to also write your own state legislators and urge their support.
Key point: The Oregon Legislature has stalled for too many years to take steps to help rural people get protection from aerial sprays (or give us what we really want- ban spraying). It is unethical for the Legislature to stall any longer.
- The Oregon Department of Forestry has the technological capacity to send out advanced alerts 1 or 2 days prior to an aerial or ground spray.
- A timber spray warning is so easy to do = Please just do it!
Sample Letter:
Dear Chair Dembrow and Members of the Senate Environment Committee,
As an Oregon voter, I’m in support of a total ban on aerial herbicide spraying in Lane County and eventually, all of Oregon. Until that day comes, I support the passage of SB 892 because it is will help rural residents have some modicum of protection against being caught outside when there is a nearby aerial spray. With modern technology that our state agencies already have, this is both simple and ethical. Please understand that this bill, while important and necessary, still doesn’t stop the predominant harm caused by aerial spraying. Farmers and their animals who both depend on clean water and soil will still be vulnerable as the sprays happen near them. Please pass SB 892 with a strong recommendation for adoption! This is about the right to private property and not having property trespass. If aerial herbicide spray is as safe as they say, why not alert us and let us know what is being sprayed? No harm – no foul, right? This is just a small step in the right direction. Ultimately, we citizens should be able to say “NO” to toxic practices occurring in our communities and near our homes and schools.
We the People 2.0 – The Second American rEvolution!
Oregon Community Rights Network, along with Community Rights Lane County co-sponsor We the People 2.0.
Tuesday March 21st – Florence – City Lights Cinema, dinner @5pm, film @6pm
Thursday March 23rd – Cottage Grove – Healing Matrix, film @7pm
Friday March 24th – Eugene – First United Methodist Church, film @7pm.
There are more locations throughout Oregon! Click Here to learn more!
Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC)
Community Rights Lane County will be at PIELC again. Find our table in the hallway, we’ll be next to other Community Rights Chapters from around Oregon!
There are two opportunities to learn more about Community Rights. CELDF is showing We the People 2.0 in the EMU Redwood Auditorium at 2:20 – 3:50pm.
Kai Huschke the Pacific Northwest Organizer for CELDF will be conducting a workshop – Growing Democracy with Community Rights in the EMU Room 146: Crater Lake North at 3:30-5:30.
Check HERE to see a list of recommended panels!
Street Theater by Community Rights Lane County
Group holds rally against court case restricting ballot initiative rights
Before court on Friday, members of and supporters of CRLC gathered in front of the Courthouse to show voters what’s at stake – All in good humor!!
Check out this video of Community Rights Lane County folks doing some street theater outside the Lane County Courthouse today!
Letting our community know that We the People intend to stay strong in defense of our constitutional right to the initiative power! Judge Karsten Rasmussen heard over 2 hours of argument, and will decide the outcome of the case in a few weeks. Stay tuned!
Thanks to everyone who performed and those that joined in to raise the voices of the We the People Choir!
Advancing the Rights of Nature with Shannon Biggs
Shannon is a leading international speaker, author and activist in the growing movement for Rights of Nature. She is the Co-founder and Director of Movement Rights, which was born out of her 12 years at Global Exchange
where she began the Community and Nature’s Rights Program. The author of Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grass Roots and The Rights of Nature, Shannon leads “Democracy Schools” and Rights of Nature trainings throughout the country. She holds a Masters in Economics/Poli cs of Empire from the London School of Economics.
When: February 9th, 7pm
Where: Eugene Garden Club (1645 High)
Parking across the street!