Campaigns:

We are working to pass local or state legislation that recognizes the rights of the Connecticut River to exist, thrive, evolve and be restored.  Here is an excerpt from the Earth Law Center's Universal Declaration of River Rights -

1. Declares that all rivers are entitled to the fundamental rights set forth in this Declaration, which arise from their very existence on our shared planet;

2. Further declares that all rivers are living entities that possess legal standing in a court of law; 

3. Establishes that all rivers shall possess, at minimum, the following fundamental rights: 

(1) The right to flow, 

(2) The right perform essential functions within its ecosystem, 

(3) The right to be free from pollution, 

(4) The right to feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers, 

(5) The right to native biodiversity, and 

(6) The right to regeneration and restoration 

We are advocating for the Connecticut River in the relicensing of the Turners Falls Dam and Northfield Pump Storage Facility, both industrial hydropower facilities that cause terrible ecological damage to the river and her ecosystem. The relicensing of these facilities is a good example of why we need Rights of Nature laws and a shift in attitude and culture!  

The relicensing has entered a critical phase when the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which is tasked with enforcing the federal Clean Water Act, has an opportunity to weigh in the terms of any licenses that are issued.  Members of the public will have a unique opportunity to speak out and demand protections for the river during this time and we are taking the opportunity to speak out often and loudly!  Look for opportunities to join us in this critical advocacy work!   

We are not alone. Other environmental groups are also drawing attention to the damage caused by these facilities and urging the public to get involved!

These groups include the Connecticut River Conservancy,  Greening Greenfield, and Connecticut River Defenders.