Summary
On May 1, 2024, a bill (HB 923) was introduced in the North Carolina House of Representatives that “recognizes and protects the rights of the Dan River ecosystem and the right of the people of North Carolina to a healthy, thriving Dan River ecosystem.” The bill would elevate the status of the Dan River from “property” to a rights-bearing entity. These rights include the rights to exist, flourish, restoration, and to abundant, pure, clean, unpolluted water. If passed, the legislation would be one of the first state-level Rights of Nature laws in the U.S.
Rep. Pricey Harrison introduced the bill with support from the Indigenous-led NGO, 7 Directions of Service.
“Since time immemorial, our Indigenous communities have treated the natural world as kin. For us, animals and rivers are our relatives. We strive to treat them accordingly. When we steward and protect the waterways we depend on, like the Dan, the health of our communities improves. HB923 applies such life-honoring values to North Carolina state law, and lays a path forward for vulnerable ecosystems across the state,” said Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, co-founder of 7 Directions of Service, Citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.