Natural Resource Damages

The beauty and grandeur of Pennsylvania are embodied in its ample natural resources.  With nearly 2.3 million acres devoted to state forests and parks, Pennsylvania has the third largest system of state parks in the nation.  Today, the destruction of the state's natural resources by unscrupulous individuals and corporations continues to occur. Pollution of rivers, streams, soil, and groundwater threatens the health of countless individuals and is responsible for many serious illnesses.  The Locks Law Firm is committed to upholding the public's constitutional right to a clean and safe natural environment. We will fight to hold accountable those who ignore their responsibility to ensure the preservation of the environment and continue to harm the state's precious natural resources.  We will also aggressively pursue compensation on behalf of those injured by the effects of careless pollution and contamination.

The Law and Natural Resources

Pennsylvania's early economy was driven by coal and iron mining, which served as the basis for the burgeoning steel and railroad industries. Prior to the mid-1960s, the state reaped the benefits of its natural resources without regard for the environmental damage inflicted upon it by its lack of self-regulation. The need for such regulation was addressed by House Bill 958, approved by the Pennsylvania legislature and amended to the state's constitution as Article 1, Section 27 in May, 1971. This law declared that the state's "public natural resources [were] the common property of all the people."  Furthermore, it endowed the citizens of Pennsylvania with the "right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment."   Named as trustees of the state's resources, the people of Pennsylvania were charged with the responsibility to "conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."

Our Pledge

Despite this decree, individuals and corporations continue to contaminate the state's natural resources with dangerous toxins and pollutants. Our attorneys believe in and are committed to upholding the public's constitutional right to a clean and safe natural environment. We pledge the damages we recover on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania to helping to restore the state's polluted rivers, streams, soil, and groundwater, in addition to other pro-environment initiatives. We are proud to work for the citizens of Pennsylvania, assisting them in securing and maintaining the state's natural resources.

Contact a Locks Law Firm Natural Resource Damages Lawyer

Our attorneys have extensive experience handling cases involving natural resource damages. We are committed to helping the state of Pennsylvania maintain its natural beauty by bringing to justice those who flout the law and continue to pollute the environment. If you believe you have suffered the effects of environmental contamination, contact the Locks Law Firm to schedule a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation.