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Our Youth Speak Up

About This Collection

Let's hear from our children, and their advocates, on the social, environmental, cultural, and economic concerns around sustainability and the call to always act responsibly and with the next seven generations in mind. The collection will also feature, from time to time, adults who are speaking on behalf of children. 

To add to this collection email children@earthsayers.com.  Thank you.

 

 

Curated by mokiethecat

Erica Davis, Brower Youth Awards 2016
October 27, 2016

Tennessee native Erica Davis recognized that rural communities often see little benefit from local oil and gas extraction. Collaborating with grassroots organizers in Campbell County, she researched and sponsored a bill to reform oil and natural gas severance taxes.

Davis's bill aims to raise these taxes, which are the sole legislative means to keep extraction wealth in-state. Crucially, it seeks to distribute all revenue directly to the affected communities where extraction occurs, rather than the current one-third. Despite Davis's lobbying efforts and bipartisan support, the bill was dropped from the 2015-2016 docket. Now pursuing an environmental law degree, Davis plans to revive the legislation in the next session.