MADISON, WI — Today, Democratic legislators announced the introduction of the “Green Amendment,” a proposed constitutional amendment that would codify the right to clean air, clean water, healthy soil, and a stable climate into the state constitution.
The proposal would amend the Wisconsin Constitution to recognize these environmental rights alongside existing protections for hunting, fishing, and access to navigable waters. It would also commit the state to preserving the natural environment for present and future generations and would ensure protections for all communities across the state.
Representative Stroud (D-Ashland) stated that “Our tribal nations have always taught us that when we consider the implications of the decisions that we make today, we need to be thinking of what their impact will be seven generations into the future. The Green Amendment would put the well-being of future generations into state law, to ensure that we’re not robbing our grandkids and their grandkids of a livable future.”
Inspired by similar amendments in Pennsylvania, Montana, and New York, the Green Amendment positions Wisconsin to join a growing national movement to enshrine environmental rights in law.
