Original air date: July 25, 2016
Host Taylor Weech interviews Gunnar Holmquist, M.D., about his recent filing of a “Right to a Healthy Climate” initiative in Spokane, WA and Mari Margil, associate director of Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) about her organization’s work in rights-based organizing across the country. The proposed initiative would ban coal and oil traffic by rail through the city of Spokane through a charter amendment, making it a permanent piece of the city charter, and declares climate change as the prime reason for the ban. It also includes an unprecedented enforcement section, which legalizes community enforcement of the ban through direct action and civil disobedience.
To learn more about the initiative, visit www.directactionspokane.org or email info@directactionspokane.org;
To learn more about CELDF, visit www.celdf.org or email info@celdf.org;
For news on the City’s involvement and approach to the initiative, see the following stories:
http://www.nwcn.com/news/local/spokane-county/city-leaders-voice-concerns-over-oil-trains-in-spokane/260571545
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jun/06/spokane-council-will-consider-resolution-requestin/