As the climate crisis intensifies, bringing extreme weather events, fires, droughts and flooding to our communities, and governments refuse to take effective action, a growing movement is amending state Constitutions to codify the right to clean air and water and a healthy environment. Clearing the FOG speaks with the founder of the Green Amendments For The Generations campaign, Maya van Rossum. An environmental lawyer, van Rossum explains how communities can win these amendments and use them to change the legal system that currently legalizes the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. She also talks about how Green Amendments strengthen the fights against data centers.
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Maya K. van Rossum is the founder of Green Amendments For The Generations, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring passage of Green Amendments in every state constitution across our nation, and also at the federal level when the time is right.
She is also the Delaware Riverkeeper, leading the regional advocacy organization, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, for over 30 years. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed (NY, NJ, PA & DE) and at the national level using advocacy, science and litigation to protect the Delaware River and its tributaries. van Rossum is skilled as an author, environmental attorney, strategist, community organizer, facilitator, coalition builder and manager.
Maya has been featured in major news outlets, including in Inside Climate News with the headline Maya van Rossum Wants To Save The World. In addition, Maya has received numerous other honors and accolades. Maya was named as one of Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100 in 2019; was named One Of The “10 Most Influential People of 2015” When It Comes to Energy Issues by SNL Energy; is the recipient of the 2022 PA Interfaith Power & Light Visionary Award; was announced as the 2020 River Hero by River Network; and received the Giraffe Hero award given to those who have the courage to stick their necks out for the common good. She has testified, by invitation, three times before U.S. Congressional committees and founded the Environmental Law Clinic at Temple’s Beasley School of Law.
As a dynamic public speaker, Maya is able to engage and inspire in any venue. In the Fall of 2025, she delivered a fiery sermon at the famous Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan; gave a personal touch at a reception for the Suzanna Golas Spirit of Water Award; and energized marchers at an Oregon rally in Salem, Oregon.
Maya is the co-host of the Green Genes podcast, has been a contributor to such outlets as TIME Magazine, the Boston Globe, Law 360, The Hill, Bloomberg Law and the American Bar Association; has been featured on such programs as BBC World Service Business Matters, TEDx, and Midday WNYC, and has delivered keynote speeches at Universities, law schools and conferences across the nation.
