Green Amendments For The Generations (GAFTG)

I am applying for The Elevate Prize because I am leading a transformational movement that is at a critical tipping point. With the proper funding and support, we have the power to enact innovative and systemic change that will produce tremendous benefits for the environment, for all people, and especially for environmental justice as a whole. 

If selected as a winner, I would use The Elevate Prize funding and support to advance the growth of my organization in order to meet the rising demand for Green Amendments. I would utilize the programming, networking, and professional development opportunities provided by The Elevate Prize to best expand my organization and spread my mission from both an operational and marketing perspective. This would include developing a strategic organizational plan. With only 2.5 full time employees, it is important for me to invest in more full-time support to enhance the overall functionality of the organization and ensure the organization’s sustainability. 

Finally, I would also provide crucial pass through grants to partners. Since our work will especially benefit vulnerable populations, it is important to engage Environmental Justice communities who have more hurdles to participate in this work, and support their leadership in decisionmaking.

I have served as an environmental advocate, attorney, and community organizer for over 26 years. As the Delaware Riverkeeper, I experienced first hand how our U.S. system of laws and government fails to protect our environment, and instills and perpetuates environmental racism. 

In 2013 everything changed...as lead environmental plaintiff, I worked with my attorneys to successfully revive Pennsylvania’s long-ignored environmental rights amendment (its Green Amendment) while defeating devastating pro-fracking legislation. My research in the wake of this victory demonstrated that Montana was the only other state to similarly protect environmental rights. I quickly recognized the power and potential of Green Amendments, coined and defined the term, wrote my award-winning book,The Green Amendment, Securing Our Right to a Healthy Environment, began the work of seeking to inspire Green Amendments nationwide, and organized Green Amendments For The Generations (GAFTG) as an independent nonprofit organization.

Since founding the Green Amendment movement, I have inspired Green Amendment proposals in 12 states from Hawaii to Maine. My vision is to work state by state to pass Green Amendments that protect the rights to pure water, clean air, a stable climate and healthy environments for all people - eventually leading to a federal amendment.

Government officials are often free to disregard water, air, climate, and environmental protection in favor of industry, political, economic, or fundraising priorities with little recourse for impacted communities. Consequently, communities across the U.S. are suffering from a climate crisis and environmental degradation with environmental racism subjecting Communities of Color and low-income communities to disproportionate harm.  Every year in the U.S. 100,000 die from air pollution and 63 million are exposed to unsafe drinking water. A look at 90,000 public schools shows children of color have a significantly higher rate of exposure to neurotoxicants, impacting their education. Significantly due to higher pollution exposure, Black Americans suffer three times more COVID-19 infections and 6 times more deaths than white Americans. Clearly, U.S. environmental laws are fundamentally failing, focusing on perpetuating environmental degradation and racism through permitting rather than preventing harm. Green Amendments transform this legal paradigm by putting environmental rights on par with other civil, human and political rights - like free speech and property. This empowers people to hold government accountable when it fails to protect the inalienable rights of all people, including future generations, to clean water and air, a stable climate, and healthy environments.

Green Amendments secure transformational systemic change for environmental protection and justice. They raise up the right to clean and healthy environments so they are on par with our other most precious rights such as speech, property and religion. 

Green Amendments establish a Bill of Rights mandate that recognizes the right to a clean and healthy environment as inalienable, indefeasible, generational, belonging to ALL people, and entitled to highest constitutional protection. They empower people to hold government accountable when it fails to fully and fairly secure environmental protection and justice, and when existing laws fail to provide essential and equitable protections.

Green Amendments transform government focus from permitting pollution and degradation to preventing environmental harm. They constitutionally mandate equitable treatment of all communities regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomics; ensure consideration of cumulative impacts and science; protect the rights of future generations; provide protections where legal gaps and weak laws fail to provide essential protections; and provide harmed communities the right to a court challenge when government fails to fully or fairly protect environmental rights. 

In addition to transforming environmental governance and law, Green Amendments emotionally and intellectually empower people to advocate more firmly and confidently for environmental protection and justice.

Since all people need a healthy environment to live and thrive, our work positively impacts all communities, particularly Communities of Color, Indigenous, and low-income communities who are routinely targeted in environmental sacrifice zones.

Adoption of Green Amendments in 50 states will:

• Address dangerous air pollution for 141 million Americans, 61% are people of color;

• Transform the U.S. from being #7 worldwide for pollution-related deaths to a top leader in environmental health protection.

• Position the U.S. to be an international leader for environmental rights.

Our movement will poise the U.S. for Green Amendments in all 50 states within a 10-year time frame and a federal proposal within the next 5 years.

With limited staff and funding, we have inspired 12 Green Amendment proposals, one which will go before the people this November. Our impact is achieved through collaboration and community building. GAFTG uses a partnership model to provide legal resources, educate stakeholders, host leadership trainings, and provide hands-on support. GAFTG currently collaborates with 65+ grassroots, environmental, health, faith, justice and Indigenous groups. 

Next steps to effectively and quickly meet the rising demand include securing funding for new employees, passthrough grants for partners, and development of a strategic plan.