LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Network finds legislative sponsor for local land rights amendment 

Credit:  By DAN SEUFERT, Union Leader Correspondent | October 08, 2015 | www.unionleader.com ~~

ALEXANDRIA – The New Hampshire Community Rights Network has found a legislative sponsor for its proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee local communities’ rights over their own lands.

Rep. Susan Emerson, R-Cheshire District 11, has introduced a constitutional amendment that guarantees local communities the authority to protect their environment, community and individual rights “free from state preemption and corporate interference.”

The network was formed as wind power companies from Spain and Portugal propose new wind power plants near Newfound Lake. Communities in the area, which voted overwhelmingly to oppose such projects, found that they had little or no control under state law, as the authority over large energy projects belonged to the state’s Site Evaluation Committee.

One of the wind power proposals from a Spanish developer for the Wild Meadows plan was abandoned by the company for several reasons, among them what the company described as a “negative political climate” for new wind projects in the state. Another proposal from EDP Renewables of Portugal for the Spruce Ridge development is still being pursued by the company.

The network grew and embraced several other issues, including Northern Pass and the Liberty-Kinder Morgan proposal, which are seen as issues that should be decided on the basis of what the communities want, not what large companies are seeking.

“The common denominator for community involvement is the need for the recognition of the rights of people, communities, and nature, within our state Constitution, over the rights of corporations to violate the rights of people, communities, and nature,” said Michelle Sanborn of Alexandria, coordinator for the network.

At present, the network includes the communities of Sugar Hill, Easton, Plymouth, Grafton, Danbury, Alexandria, Hebron, Barnstead, Nottingham and Barrington. It arose in response “to a decade-long grassroots people’s movement for local control to decide what happens in the places where we live,” Sanborn said.

The movement is part of a larger national movement for community rights and local control. There are similar groups in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Mexico and several other states. The proposed amendment is similar to amendments currently being proposed in Colorado and Oregon, Sanborn said.

Emerson said the amendment is needed to ensure local control, as the SEC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are – at present – the agencies that decide such projects.

“Too often the interests of big corporations are considered and the rights of our constituents are ignored when we in the Legislature enact preemptions that forbid local lawmaking. And too often wealthy corporations threaten to bankrupt towns that stand up to them,” she said. “This amendment will put self-government at the local level back into the hands of the people.”

“We call upon all the legislators of New Hampshire to rise up and represent the communities of this fine state by supporting the proposed Right of Local Community Self-Government amendment to our state Constitution,” Sanborn said.

For more information about the New Hampshire Community Rights Network or the proposed constitutional amendment, contact info@nhcommunityrights.org.

Source:  By DAN SEUFERT, Union Leader Correspondent | October 08, 2015 | www.unionleader.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon