Summary
On 1 May 2024, a bill was introduced in the 2023-2024 session of the North Carolina House of Representatives to amend Chapter 77 of the General Statutes by adding a new Article 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.” These rights include the rights to exist, flourish, restoration, and to abundant, pure, clean, unpolluted water. The 2024 bill did not make it to the floor for a vote.
A revised bill was introduced in the NC state legislature in the 2025-2026 Session that recognizes the rights of both the Haw River and the Dan River ecosystems, which had individual bills submitted in the 2023-2024 session.
Ecosystem and Community Context
Representative Pricey Harrison introduced the bill with support from the North Carolina Indigenous-led NGO, 7 Directions of Service. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, co-founder of 7 Directions of Service and a citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, states that “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.”
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. 2026. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/north-carolina-u-s-rights-of-the-dan-river-ecosystem-act/.
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