IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 410 
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the ratification of Pennsylvania’s 
Environmental Rights Amendment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 18, 2021 
Ms. DEAN (for herself, Mr. EVANS, Ms. HOULAHAN, and Ms. SCANLON) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the ratification of 
Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment. 
Whereas, on May 18, 1971, Pennsylvania voters ratified arti-
cle 1, section 27 of their constitution, commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘Environmental Rights Amendment’’; 
Whereas the amendment guarantees the people of Pennsyl-
vania the right to clean air, pure water, and the preserva-
tion of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of 
the environment; 
Whereas the amendment ensures Pennsylvania’s public nat-
ural resources are the common property of all the people, 
including generations yet to come; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:43 May 19, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR410.IH
HR410
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
•HRES 410 IH 
Whereas, with the amendment, the Commonwealth became 
trustee of these resources and shall conserve and main-
tain them for the benefit of all the people; 
Whereas the joint resolution which proposed the amendment 
had unanimous support in both the Pennsylvania House 
and Senate, and was approved by Pennsylvania voters 
with a four-to-one margin; 
Whereas the ballot measure had broad support from numer-
ous organizations including the Pennsylvania Federation 
of Sportsmen’s Clubs, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, 
the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters, and the 
Pennsylvania Environmental Council; 
Whereas the amendment made the Pennsylvania government 
responsible for the environment, giving the public the 
ability to compel the government to act through legal 
means; 
Whereas the ratification of the amendment established the 
right to a healthy environment as important and nec-
essary as other constitutional rights in Pennsylvania; 
Whereas the amendment was created to protect Pennsylva-
nia’s environment and natural resources from further 
devastation caused by a lack of environmental regulation 
for over a century; and 
Whereas those in the Pennsylvania State government, specifi-
cally Representative Franklin L. Kury, worked tirelessly 
to pass the amendment through the Pennsylvania Gen-
eral Assembly and advance it on the primary ballot to 
provide Pennsylvania’s environment with permanent pro-
tection in the Commonwealth’s constitution: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:43 May 19, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR410.IH
HR410
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
•HRES 410 IH 
(1) recognizes the 50th anniversary of the rati-
fication of the Environmental Rights Amendment in 
Pennsylvania; 
(2) recognizes the broad support the amend-
ment had among Pennsylvania citizens and govern-
ment; 
(3) acknowledges this amendment is crucial to 
the protection of Pennsylvania’s environment and 
natural resources; 
(4) supports the values espoused by the amend-
ment, including the notion of the right to clean air 
and pure water, and the Commonwealth’s responsi-
bility in preserving the environment for future gen-
erations; and 
(5) recognizes the conservation of environment 
is key to the future success of the United States. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:43 May 19, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR410.IH
HR410
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS