http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/peopletopeople/2014/11/05/mendocino-countys-historic-vote-elevates-residents-rights-bans-fracking
[At least three other jurisdictions also voted to ban fracking within
their borders in the U.S. midterm elections this week.
Images and links in the on-line article]
Mendocino County’s Historic Vote Elevates Residents’ Rights, Bans Fracking
5th November, 2014 - Posted by Shannon Biggs
Mendocino County Becomes First in California to pass a Community Bill of
Rights
At 8:00 pm on Election Night 2014, residents of picturesque Mendocino
County concerned about the availability and quality of local water
waited anxiously for the first results on Measure “S”, the Community
Bill of Rights Ordinance that bans fracking, dumping of frack waste and
protects their water from being used for fracking anywhere in the state.
Global Exchange and our partners and allies were proud to support the
Community Rights Network of Mendocino County (CRNMC), the group behind
this initiative.
Just after midnight it was clear they had made California history,
passing Measure S by a whopping 67% of the county vote. It was not the
only measure in the state to ban fracking—San Benito, CA voters passed
Measure J despite the heavy influx of Big Oil funding to defeat it,
while Santa Barbara’s anti-fracking measure succumbed to corporate money
influence.
But residents of Mendocino county did far more than ban fracking this
election.
With the passage of Measure S, residents in Mendocino County made
history as the first California community to adopt a Community Bill of
Rights, placing their rights above corporate interests. Residents see
enactment of this ordinance as the first step in asserting their right
to local self-government, and a rejection of the idea that their
community will be a sacrifice zone for corporate profits. This is a huge
milestone for the community rights movement in California—joining with
over 180 communities across the country who have also changed the
structure of law by passing rights-based legislation.
The Mendocino County Community Bill of Rights Fracking and Water Use
Initiative, (Measure S) establishes the rights of the people of
Mendocino County to a healthy environment, including clean air and
water, and the rights of ecosystems to exist and flourish. The measure
also secures the rights of residents to local self-governance. Fracking
is banned as a violation of those rights, and directly challenges
constitutional so-called “rights” of corporations to frack in their
County. The extraction or sale of local water for use in fracking
anywhere in the state is also banned, along with the dumping of toxic
frack waste. Further, the measure bans the transfer of offshore fracking
oil or waste through the County.
Jamie Lee, a community-based farmer in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino
attended the very first Democracy School, a weekend rights-based
training, in California in 2006, hosted by Global Exchange and CELDF.
“Who knew back then that we would be celebrating this victory today.”
Over the years Jamie Lee brought Global Exchange’s Shannon Biggs to
Mendocino many times to meet with groups and residents, hold public
lectures, along with other practicioners and educators of the Community
Rights framework.
So by the time Peter Norris of Willits reached out to Global Exchange in
2013, there was already a strong sense of community self-governance
throughout the far-flung county. A county wide Democracy School was held
with 50 people, followed by steady flow of rights-based organizing
support from Global Exchange, and the encouragement of the anti-fracking
movement of California. David Braun, part of the coalition
Californians Against Fracking was a regular visitor to Mendocino
throughout the election cycle, “Starting today, in Mendocino, community
rights trump those of big money and corporations, but they also ensure
that fracking doesn’t destroy precious and irreplaceable water air soil
and biodiversity. Big congratulations are in order to the people of
Mendocino for their hard won battle against big oil. Now we need to
double down and make sure all the people of California and around the
country are protected from fracking. There is a lot to build on for all
of us – and we will.”
But it was the community that came together to put this into law. A core
group of 30 and countless volunteers worked tirelessly throughout 2014
to collect the signatures for the ballot, host public events, write
letters to the editor, paint lawn signs and go door-to-door with the
message that decisions about water protection in Mendocino belong to
residents and residents alone. As key CRNMC member Kelly Larson said,
“Measure S was organized around a network model, rather than the old
hierarchical top-down leadership, thereby modeling the ‘community’ in
community rights.”
CELDF’s Ben Price offered congratulations to the people of Mendocino
County, and to the organizers of the effort, stating, “With this vote,
the people of Mendocino are challenging a legal structure that protects
a corporate “right” to frack above the rights of communities to not be
fracked.”
As resident Carrie Durkee proclaimed, “The passage of Measure S looks
like a milestone to me. I’m filled with appreciation, admiration, and
gratitude to all for the creation of the Community Bill of Rights.”
Kelly Larson added, “Measure S is an important challenge to corporate
constitutional rights, and the oil and gas industry. We’re grateful
that the voters of Mendocino County so strongly support community
rights…Local people deciding for local control and decision making.
Democracy won here today!” Jamie Lee echoed this, saying, “this is only
the beginning of local self-governance for us up here in Mendocino, the
first step of many toward changing the rules about ‘who decides’ what
happens here. WE do.”
_______________________________________________
Sustainablelorgbiofuel mailing list
Sustainablelorgbiofuel@lists.sustainablelists.org
http://lists.eruditium.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel