Radioactivity Wednesday: A First in Florida as Rights of Nature Amendment Passes in Orange County

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Rainbow Springs, Florida Photo by Rob Lorei

December 2, 2020

Good Morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. On November 3rd,  89% of voters in Orange County Florida approved the Right to Clean Water Charter Amendment.  The Orange County/Orlando area is now the largest jurisdiction in the nation to pass this kind of legislation. This is the first time voters anywhere in Florida have approved the Rights of Nature.

The amendment — is also also known as the Wekiva River and Econlockhatchee River Bill of Rights. It gives citizens the right to sue polluters of the water systems in court, without having to show they have been personally harmed, as state law currently requires.

The amendment prohibits any governmental agency, non-natural person or corporate entity from intentionally or negligently polluting the Wekiva River and Econlockhatchee Rivers, or any other Waters within Orange County.  Here to talk about the vote is Chuck O’Neal with Speak Up Wekiva – an environmental group that backed the rights of nature amendment in Orange County.

Florida Rights of Nature Network:

Read the full text of the Amendment here:

Listen to the full show here:

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