Williams County (USA) Charter Amendment: community bill of rights and rights of nature

Summary

In 2019, the Williams County Alliance submitted a proposed County Charter for Williams County, Ohio, which stated, “All people of the County of Williams, along with ecosystems in the County (including, but not limited to, rivers, streams, wetlands, and aquifers), possess the right to clean air, water, and soil; to exist, flourish, and naturally evolve; and to be free from activities that would violate these rights.” It also recognized the right of local community self-government, the right to assert the right of self-government, the right to municipal autonomy, the right to untainted elections, initiative, referendum, and recall, the right to a healthy environment, the right to a sustainable community, the right to own property, the rights against eminent domain, the right to a peaceful enjoyment of home, and the right to govern corporate activities. It also specifically recognizes the rights of the Michindoh Aquifer and the Michindoh Aquifer ecosystems to exist, flourish, evolve, and regenerate. The organization gathered enough signatures to place the initiative on the ballot. However, the local board of elections viewed the initiative and deemed it unconstitutional. Residents of Williams County filed a lawsuit against the election board in the Ohio Supreme Court but ultimately lost.