Summary
On January 17, 2023, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners signed a non-binding proclamation declaring the rights of the Southern Resident Orcas, which include “the right to: life, autonomy, culture, free and safe passage, adequate food supply from naturally occurring sources, and freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional, or mental harm, including a habitat degraded by noise, pollution and contamination.” The proclamation also recognizes that “Nature and all living beings…and the ecosystems upon which they depend, are recognized as possessing inherent rights, including to exist, flourish, evolve, regenerate, recover, and be restored.” The proclamation also describes Jefferson county’s support for action by local, state, federal and tribal governments that secure and effectuate the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas.
This declaration follows similar proclamations in the state of Washington by the cities of Port Townsend, Gig Harbor, and Langley in December 2022, making Jefferson the first county to pass such the proclamation.
The campaign to recognize the rights of the Southern Resident Orca is led by the Earth Law Center (ELC) and local partner organization, Legal Rights for the Salish Sea (LRSS). The long-term goal is state-level recognition of the population’s inherent rights to protect and recover their population and the ecosystems. The campaign was launched in 2018 and in 2022 ELC created a template resolution that serves as the basis for the subsequent local-level proclamations.
Involved Organizations
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/jefferson-county-u-s-proclamation-of-the-rights-of-the-southern-resident-orcas/.
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