Colorado River Ecosystem v. State of Colorado

On December 4, 2017, the federal district court for the District of Colorado granted a motion by plaintiff “Colorado River Ecoystem” to dismiss with prejudice the lawsuit seeking recognition of the Colorado River Ecosystem’s status as a “person” possessing rights and a declaration that actions of the State of Colorado violated those rights. The plaintiff’s motion to dismiss stated that the complaint “represented a good faith attempt to introduce the Rights of Nature doctrine to our jurisprudence” and that counsel for the plaintiff “continues to believe that the doctrine provides American courts with a pragmatic and workable tool for addressing environmental degradation and the current issues facing the Colorado River.”