We’re excited to have two different community rights panels at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference this year!
Nature has Rights: The Right to Exist, Evolve, and Flourish
- Mari Margil, Associate Director, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
- Craig Kauffman, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Oregon
- John Herberg, Rights of Nature-Community Rights Lane County
Mari will focus on Rights of Nature (RoN) from a global/international level. She will explain why RoN is needed, and what efforts have been taking place globally to make it a reality. This will include laws and legal challenges.
Craig will also discuss Rights of Nature (RoN) from an international/global perspective. He will describe the patterns that can be observed from looking at what has been successful and what has not. This can be used as a guide to enable Rights of Nature locally and globally.
John will discuss Rights of Nature (RoN) from a local perspective. He will describe what is being done in Lane Co, throughout the state of Oregon, and elsewhere. And how this relates to the global efforts.
The art of chemical warfare: Oregon community democracy vs. industrial timber and state government in the battle to end aerial spraying
Friday, March 2 – 3:50 p.m.-5:05 p.m.
Law room 142.
Sponsored by Community Rights Lane County
The aerial spraying of toxic pesticides is part of Oregon’s logging legacy. This panel will discuss the challenges communities have faced in their efforts to protect people and ecosystems from aerial spraying, as well as the state’s role in providing legal protection.
From Carol Van Strum’s efforts against the federal government in the 80s and the widespread corruption in the EPA, to the community rights movement of the last five years, the panel will discuss the ups and downs of the battle to abolish aerial spraying. Panelists will highlight the lengths that corporations and government have taken to stop local democracy.
Panelists:
- Rio Davidson – Lincoln County Community Rights
- TBA member of Community Rights Lane County
- Evaggelos Vallianatos EPA whistle blower and author of Poison Spring
- Carol Van Strum author of Bitter Fog and chief person behind the Poison Papers