New Bill to Recognize Legal Rights of All Water Bodies in New York State.
A bill that would guarantee bodies of water legal rights to protect against destruction has been introduced into the New York State Assembly recently.
New York State Rep. Burke introduced the Great Lakes and State Waters Bill of Rights, Bill AO5156A, which would recognize “unalienable and fundamental rights to exist, persist, flourish, naturally evolve, regenerate and be restored” for the Great Lakes and other watersheds and ecosystems throughout New York State.
“All people deserve healthy ecosystems and clean water, and recognizing the inherent rights of nature to exist and flourish is the best way to protect this. Protecting one watershed or regulating toxins one at a time isn’t enough. All New Yorkers are connected through our water, and so this bill protects all of us.”
