I was advised that readers beyond the DU Energy and Environment forum would like to see this. I think there is a broader, profound public issue here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=70281&mesg_id=70281Pennsylvania Borough Strips Sludge Corporations of "Rights"
The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
675 Mower Road
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201
Becomes First Municipality in the United States to Recognize the
Rights of Nature
CONTACT : Ben Price, Projects Director
(717) 243-6725
bengprice@aol.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (September 20) – On September 19th, the Tamaqua Borough Council in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, unanimously passed a law declaring that sludge and dredge corporations possess no constitutional "rights" within the Borough.
Tamaqua thus becomes the fifth local government in the country to abolish the illegitimate "rights" and privileges claimed by corporations. Those constitutional "rights" and legal privileges have been routinely asserted by corporations in other localities to nullify local laws.
...snip...more at link...