August 2025 Newsletter

Federal Rollbacks Demand State Green Amendments & Leadership

Rollbacks of federal environmental protections have continued throughout the summer. The most recent budget bill – the Big Ugly Bill – has greased the wheels for more fossil fuel development and undermined critical incentives and government support for clean energy progress. Also on the chopping block are government programs to secure environmental justice for communities of color, low-income, and Indigenous communities, and essential strategies to avert climate catastrophe and protect future generations. Most recently, the federal administration is looking for ways to fast track approvals and development of AI data centers—which require massive amounts of water and energy, create a damaging noise and construction footprint that devastates the lives of those who live nearby, and further lock in irreversible harm to our water, air and climate.

Green Amendments and state leadership are needed now more than ever. And communities are flocking to our movement and requesting our partnership, support, and assistance.

We really need your support so we can rise to the occasion and meet the needs and challenges of this moment with Green Amendments Education, Advocacy, Litigation & Legal Support.

Please donate today

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Green Amendments & The Law – Hot News For The Legal Power of Green Amendments

Understanding the unparalleled importance of securing Green Amendments for protection of our environment and environmental rights, the National Lawyers Guild New Mexico Chapter has officially signed on in support! This is high praise for the power of our movement.

GAFTG Files Another Amicus Brief to Secure Strong Precedent for Environmental Rights & Environmental Justice

Working with our sister organization, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Green Amendments For The Generations has filed another Amicus Brief to help frontline communities secure victory in the courts.

In Albany County, upstate New York, residents organized under the moniker Lights Out Norlite have been fighting to protect themselves from polluting air emissions released by the Norlite aggregate production facility. Norlite’s industrial operation burns hazardous waste and releases crystalline silica and dangerous levels of particulate matter. Inhalation of crystalline silica can cause irreversible lung damage, and can lead to lung disease, COPD, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular impairment, and lung cancer. Exposure to small particulate matter of this kind can cause severe adverse health consequences, including cardiac disorders, exacerbating asthma, causing bronchitis, cerebrovascular incidents, increased risk of diabetes, and increased rate of mortality for those exposed.  

Despite Norlite’s repeated, well-known violations of air emission limits, the state has allowed the facility to continue to operate and failed to take meaningful legal or enforcement action to protect the environment and the environmental rights of impacted neighbors. Several of the impacted neighborhoods around the plant have been identified as potential environmental justice areas and include a high proportion of minority and/or low-income residents.  

With their Green Amendment rights now in hand, these New York residents have brought legal action against the facility, but also against the state for its failure to protect the constitutional rights of impacted community members to clean water and air and a healthful environment. 

To help support the community in their legal battle, and to help guide the court to secure a strong legal precedent that can benefit all New Yorkers (and also inform how Green Amendments should be interpreted wherever they exist—which right now is in New York, Pennsylvania and Montana) Green Amendments For The Generations has filed an Amicus Brief with the court. The court has not yet officially accepted the brief, but we are hopeful they will. In the meanwhile, you can read our Amicus Brief we filed with sister organization Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
 

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Positive Progress to Report Out of New Jersey!

Thanks to the help of our leading organizational partners, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Waterspirit, and the League of Women Voters, the New Jersey Coalition has hosted three Town Halls across the state of New Jersey in Burlington County, Cape May County, and most recently, Camden County.

Community members got their questions answered and shared their thoughts and perspectives on the New Jersey Green Amendment and environmental challenges faced in their communities. These sessions have been essential for letting the people’s voice be heard on the NJ Green Amendment despite a lack of legislative hearings.

In addition to our town halls, students and community members have attended local government meetings to request resolutions supporting Green Amendment protections for New Jersey.

These open house meetings and presentations have been so inspiring that key organizational & government leaders have been inspired to support Green Amendment values through:

• resolutions (e.g. Township of Bordentown, Camden County, Haddon Grange #38, Cherry Hill Township, and Somerset County), 
• statements of support (e.g. “Why We Support the Green Amendment” – Bordentown), and 
• legislative co-sponsorships (Assemblyman Balvir Singh – District 7).

Our growing list of supportive NJ resolutions includes:

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Upcoming Events

Washington

• Constitutional Change for a Livable Planet: The Green Amendment Tour
  Sunday, September 14 – Friday, September 19
  Our Washington Tour— Constitutional Change for a Livable Planet: The Green Amendment Tour—  is drawing near! Join Green Amendments Founder Maya van Rossum and Washington Coalition Leader David Kipnis as they travel throughout the state to talk about the Washington Green Amendment and how it can help power environmental rights, justice and protection in the state. Learn the details of a talk near you and sign up to let us know you are coming at bit.ly/WashingtonGAtour

New Mexico

• Sun Day National Action Day
  Sunday, September 21, 12:00pm – 3:00pm MT
  Roosevelt Park in Albuquerque, NM
  Green Amendments Founder Maya van Rossum will be joining Third Act in Albuquerque, New Mexico for Sun Day National Action Day to talk about the values of a Green Amendment for advancing good quality, clean solar energy to power New Mexico’s present & future, while protecting the environment and future generations. Learn more at: https://sunday.earth/

Massachusetts

• Getting Up To Speed on the Massachusetts Green Amendment Movement
  Monday, September 29, 6:00- 7:30pm ET
  Join us for a virtual information session with Representative Jennifer Armini and Maya K. van Rossum on the Green Amendment, the values and benefits it provides for our Massachusetts communities, and how you can get involved with the movement to secure these rights for all people.
• Smith College, Northampton
  Tuesday October 28
  Maya will be speaking with students, but in the evening it is all about the public. More details to come! Check our events calendar in the coming weeks.

Michigan

• Michigan Green Amendment Resolution Trainings
  Monday, September 22, 6:00- 7:30pm and Wednesday, September 24, 6:30-7:30 pm
  Join Michigan Green Amendment Coalition leaders and Green Amendments For The Generations to learn how you can build the movement by securing resolutions of support from local governments and civic organizations! Each training is virtual and will be held on our Green Amendments Action Platform. Sign up and join the Michigan community at: bit.ly/MIGreenCommunity .
• Michigan Green Amendment at Fountain Street Church
  Sunday, October 5, 11:00am ET
  Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI
  Hear from distinguished Reverend Nathan Dannison and Maya K. van Rossum at the famous Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids for an inspiring sermon on the power of the Green Amendment movement, and how we can take action to preserve our sacred places, spaces, and communities for generations to come.

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Thanks for being a part of the movement!

Please donate today