EPA Inflicts Massive Fine on Wyoming Man
Shaking my head over the incredible overreaching of the Environmental Protection Agency just isn’t cutting it anymore. It’s time to start screaming. I’m sorry, but now I’m pissed off and I’m not going to take it anymore.
The latest legal crime being committed by the unelected officials of the EPA involves a proposed fine of $16 million against a rancher in Wyoming named Andy Johnson. His sin? Building a small pond on his property.
EPA officials say this small body of water is technically a “stock pond.” They told Andy he needs to return his property to conditions before the pond was built. When he refused, they started fining him $37,000 a day.
That was back in 2012 and now the EPA tells him he owes more than $16 million. Andy has filed a suit in federal court, asking a judge to stop the agency from continuing to try to rob him blind.
Before a bunch of liberals decided it would be a wonderful idea to give people high-paying jobs to create ridiculous regulations on everything from car emissions to the size of a backyard swimming pool, a guy like Andy would have been complimented by his neighbors.
They would have told him he was smart and industrious for using the property he paid for to figure out a way to give the animals on his ranch better access to water.
Andy knows it’s no longer the 1800s. He can’t just walk over to a nearby little house on the prairie and ask Charles Ingalls to swing by and help him construct a pond. No, Andy says he went through all the proper channels and received needed permits from the state government before building his pond.
The EPA doesn’t care. They just want to make an example out of a hard-working American who only wants to live his life in peace and provide for himself, his family and his animals.
Next time EPA officials stop by Andy’s place for a little visit, I hope he asks them to closely examine his quicksand pit.
This is a Government Agency that needs to be disbanded and the head honcho’s put in prison for abusing the power they were given by the Government!
I bet they can’t walk through a door without banging their heads on the door sill because their heads are so swollen!! I also bet they need to have their arms twisted back to their front from slapping themselves on the back!!
WORTHLESS BASTARDS!!!
The author of this dribble is an idiot. The EPA was not created by so called liberals, it was REPUBLICAN president Richard Nixon. But here we go again with the misinformation and lack of facts spewed by ignorant simpletons. FACTS MATTER, so do your homework before spewing nonsense. Thanks ;) Taken from wiki, In 1970, President Richard Nixon proposed an executive reorganization that would consolidate many of the federal government’s environmental responsibilities under one agency, a new Environmental Protection Agency. That reorganization proposal was reviewed and passed by the House and Senate.[10]
Truth Teller, it seems you often like to engage in misdirection and obfuscation. Why is that? The author NEVER said the EPA was created by liberals OR even Democrats. What he IS SAYING is that liberals in the EPA are misusing their authority.
So tell us, do you think the EPAs’s actions in this case are correct, legal, or even constitutional? Do you disagree that LIBERAL bureaucrats under the Obama regime started this egregious attempt at blackmail?
So before you call people idiots and simpletons, please read what people are writing. Or are you that aliterate?
There are lots of ponds out there that the EPA knows nothing about. Gestapo tactics, IMHO.
All stores better stop selling ponds. They might charge everyone who has one in there yard eventually it might come to that if they get away with this..
The EPA had better start looking for other work. It is a fact that President Trump does not like the EPA, and will most likely eliminate it. What a wonderful concept, life without them!
The EPA should go jump in the lake!
Obviously, some things SHOULD be regulated, such as the registration, labeling, and use of pesticides, but the EPA has expanded far out of its league. They must have lots of extra time on their hands, if they can meddle with everyone who builds a stock pond.
Scaling back the EPA would obviously put many federal as well as state employees out of work. Here are some suggestions for their subsequent employment:
Enforcing our nation’s borders and ports of entry, including the administrative support for these functions.
Likewise, internal enforcement of our immigration laws.
Identifying and processing the millions of foreigners currently in this country who have overstayed their visas.
Implementing and maintaining the E-Verify system.
Just a few suggestions, in an area where the federal government is actually required to participate.
Tell the rancher to learn how to put commercial liens on the people that are injuring him. Commercial liens can only be overturned by a common law court.
There’re no common law courts in the US in the likely sense you mean. One would have to go to the federal court system and file a civil suit. Sadly for citizens it doesn’t offer much hope.
When’s the EPA going after all the beavers that are constantly building dams without permits?
The government has gone after property owners for tearing out beaver dams to restore water flow in creeks. They’ve also gone after people who cleared debris blocking culverts.
Today is 10 May 2016
Here is an update to the above story. I thought you folks would like to hear some good news for a change, courtesy from http://www.wnd.com.
A Wyoming rancher threatened by the Environmental Agency with $16 million fines for getting a state permit and building a stock pond on his ranch has reached a settlement that will have the fines go away and he’ll keep his stock pond.
WND reported in 2015 on a lawsuit filed on behalf of Fort Bridger, Wyoming, rancher Andy Johnson by officials with the Pacific Legal Foundation seeking to vindicate his property rights.
The lawsuit explained federal law clearly exempts stock ponds from the rules of the EPA, which had filed a compliance order against him threatening $37,500 in fines per day – which already at the time of the filing had passed $16 million.
Now, officials the PLF has announced the federal government has agreed to resolve the case, and a federal court has approved.
“Importantly, under the settlement, the Johnson family’s pond will remain; they won’t pay any fines; they don’t concede any federal jurisdiction to regulate their pond; and the government won’t pursue any further enforcement actions based on the pond’s construction,” the legal team revealed.
“This is a victory for common sense and the environment, and it brings an end to all the uncertainty and fear that the Johnson family faced,” said Jonathan Wood, a staff attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation.
The fight began in 2013 when Johnson, under a legitimate state permit, built the stock pond to provide safer, more reliable access to water for his small herd.
Ray Kagel, a former federal regulator, explained how the pond proved to be a benefit to the environment. It created wetlands, habitat for fish and wildlife, and cleans the water that passes through it.
The federal government responded with its threats of fines.
Johnson tried to reason with the government, without success, so he filed the action that points out “stock ponds” are expressly exempted from the Clean Water Act.
“This settlement is a win for the Johnson family, and a win for the environment,” said Wood. “Under it, the Johnsons will pay no fine. They will not lose their property. They will not have to agree to federal jurisdiction or a federal permit, which would have surely entailed onerous conditions. In effect, the government will treat the pond as an exempt stock pond, in exchange for Andy further improving on the environmental benefits he has already created.
“The settlement provides that Andy will plant willows around the pond and temporarily fence off part of it from livestock. Of course, there is some irony in this last provision: The EPA insists this isn’t a stock pond, while their chief concern is how livestock reach it.”
pond
Andy Johnson built a “stock pond” to provide better access to water for animals on his ranch.
Johnson, in a statement released by PLF, said, “This is a huge victory for us as well as private property owners across the country. The next family that finds itself in our situation, facing ominous threats from EPA, can take heart in knowing that many of these threats will not come to pass. If, like us, you stand up to the overreaching bureaucrats, they may very well back down.”
You think this is bad, which it is, just wait until the Government demands the water rights to his property too.
It is time to put the breaks on the EPA. There has to be a check and balance or a Government agency that can put the EPA in check.
Hopefully with the new administration this type of alphabet soup agency harassment of citizens will stop.
Heres whats going on.
HE HAS SOMETHING VALUABLE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS SO HERASSING TaCTICS ARE BEING USED. LETS NOT BE STUPID ABOUT THIS.
HE PROBALY HAS OIL OR SOME OTHER RESOURCE ON HIS LAND SO THEY ARE GOING TO STEAL IT FRoM HIM LIKE THEY DO AGAINST OTHER COUNTRYS AND SEND OUR TROOPS TO BRING IN DEMOCRACY THEY SAY ALLL A LIEs ISNT IT. THEY ARE THE TERRORISTS.
IF THEY WANTED TO TAKE DOWN ISIS THEY WOULD BUT THEY PROFIT FROM IT AND BLOW SMOKE AND HOPE WE ARE TUPID ENOUGH TO BELIEVE CBS NBC ABC FOX AnD ALL THE OTHER PROPAGANDA THEY SPEW AT US.
Maybe they found unobtanium.
Totally asinine! This pond is legal. He got the required permits and whatever he was supposed to do! The pond is not hurting anyone or anything! Leave him alone and drop this ridiculous lawsuit!!!
“The EPA doesn’t care. They just want to make an example out of a hard-working American who only wants to live his life in peace and provide for himself, his family and his animals.” Well, if the EPA just wants to make an example of how a hard-working American who wants to live his life in peace and provide for himself, his family and his animals, I’m all for it. We certainly need more people like this and the EPA does a good thing if they make an example of such a good citizen. Go, good citizen !!!!
How did the Gov. find out about the pond!? Did he ask for a Tax Write Off!?!?
Ever wonder why malaria went from killing millions each year, to being nearly exterminated, to making a comeback, killing millions a year today? It was the doing of two individuals, using lies, junk science and government power. They’re directly responsible for the murder of millions of people, mostly children, across the world. Look up William d. ruckleshaus and Rachael Carson
Their combined death toll has far surpassed Hitler, and even Stallen to take their rightful place as the second greatest mass murderers of all time, behind Chairman Mao. And they are still killing millions every year. Carson did it for the fame and money, ruckleshaus, for the power. Ruckelshause is still at it, helping the EPA exterminate land owners. Thankfully, Carson is dead.
Here is some more fine work of the federal government at work .Go to Youtube and type in BLM destroying ranches by fire .
The EPA, just like any other government agency, is self perpetuating. It was created to clean up the superfund sites. With that accomplished, the agency should have been abolished. Now they are nothing more than a tyrannical bunch of non-elected government employees looking to create problems where there are none so they can keep their jobs. Andy got state approvals, that should be the end of it. The people need to stand up against this tyranny, because our government certainly will not.
Alice is 100% correct! The EPA is just one of many “super agencies” that were designed to correct some very serious problems. Now, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM! In order to keep their cushy “government jobs”, they must find (or create) new PROBLEMS.
The list of people adversely effected by these “Public servants” would fill volumes. This is just one example of many that have taken place nationwide.
In the western U.S. , we see these things on a daily basis. Perhaps it is because of the fact that the vast majority of land in the intermountain west is “owned” by the federal government.
My final question is: When did “We The People” give up control of the U.S.A.? and it’s governing bodies?
Alice – Actually, not all superfund sites are cleaned up – REF: he Berkley Pit in Butte Montana. Problem, the next person/entity to “touch” the water is help responsible for full costs of the clean up. Principal Responsible Party thingy. EPA has been in the way of getting this mess handled. A lot of valuable minerals could be recovered from the water. EPA’s gotta go.
The EPA is a billion dollar waste of time and money. In 2010, DuPont invented a new herbicide called Imprelis. Imprelis was designed to kill clover and dandilions in our lawns. DuPont (claimed to have) tested Imprelis for 1 year and found it to be environmentally safe.
They sent their new herbicide to the EPA. The EPA (claimed to have) tested Imprelis for 1 year and found it to be environmentally safe. Safe for the grass, trees, birds, worms, pets and children playing in the Imprelis treated grass.
THREE MONTHS after Imprelis was applied to all the lawns in our neighborhood – the trees started DYING. Before the year was out, tens of thousands of trees had died all across the country. All the earthworms disappeared from our property. All the robins disappeared. If a portion of grass was shaded for more than 24 hours, it too died.
So how safe was Imprelis? If their testing didn’t catch the killing of trees and worms — how much trust do we have that it is safe for pets and children?
DuPont settled out of court. They replaced every one of the THOUSANDS of trees that Imprelis had killed. Imprelis has been taken off the market. BUT why are we paying the EPA to be so negligent … irresponsible … deceitful. In concept, we SHOULD have a entity concerned about the protection of our environment. It sure as HELL is NOT the EPA !!
THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT WILL CHANGE FASTER THAN WAS POSSIBLE BEFORE OUR 21ST CENTURY GLOBAL INFORMATION AGE. THIS IS DUE TO MULTI TERMS IN OFFICE AS OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND MANAGERS, ON OUR BEHALF, OF OUR NECESSARY SOCIETAL INSTITUTIONS DO NOT WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD IN SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT TERMS. (NOW WITH UNLIMITED TERMS OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE/MANAGERS IN THERE FIRST TERM ARE IN THE MINORITY AND CAN DO LITTLE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. THERE IS ALSO THE PROBLEM THAT MOST OF US THINK IT IS THE OTHER 49 STATES REPRESENTATIVES/MANAGERS WHO ARE THE PROBLEM.)
85% OF ALL PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ARE FAIRLY GOOD PEOPLE EVEN 85% OF OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES / MANAGERS THE FIRST TIME THEY RUN FOR OFFICE. EVEN IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE WE ARE CONTINUALLY INVESTING BLOOD AND MONEY (THE U.S. HAS MILITARY AND CIVIL OPERATIONS IN OVER 145 COUNTRIES [FROM OPEN SOURCES]) 85% OF ALL PEOPLE ARE GOOD. WARS ARE WON OR LOST POLITICALLY NOT BY THE U.S. AND MANY OTHER ALLIED COUNTRIES MILITARIES. THE BAD, CRIMINAL, PSYCHOPATHIC MULTI TERM LEADERS POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CAN BEST BE NEUTRALIZED WITH GOOD POLITICAL PRACTICE STARTING WITH EXAMPLE OF THE U.S. .
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF INTERRELATED COMPETING “GOODS” BUT THE COMMON GOOD 95% OF THE TIME LOSES OUT TO SHORT TERM SUBJECTIVE SPECIAL INTEREST GOALS WHEN THE MAJORITY OF ALL PEOPLE SURVEYED BELIEVE ABOUT 85% OF ALL PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ARE GOOD AND WOULD WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD IF THERE WERE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. ONE 6 YEAR TERM LIMITS IS THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WAY AND POLITICALLY DOABLE WAY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. EVEN THE POWERS THAT BE WILL BE BETTER OFF BECAUSE FREE PEOPLE PRODUCE MORE, KEEP MORE AND SHARE MORE. http://WWW.ONE6YEARTERMLIMITS.ORG
Q? HOW CAN WE GET THIS 28TH AMENDMENT, ONE 6 YEAR TERM LIMITS FOR ALL CONGRESSMEN PASSED?
A. VERY SIMPLY WE, THE CITIZENS, WILL MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF THE 435 CANDIDATES FOR REPRESENTATIVE OR THE 33 CANDIDATES FOR SENATOR AND THE CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT WHO ARE RUNNING FOR ELECTION OR REELECTION IN 2016 WHO WILL NOT SIGN A PLEDGE TO WORK AGRESSIVELY FOR THE ONE 6 YEAR TERM LIMITS AMENDMENT IF ELECTED. http://WWW.ONE6YEARTERMLIMITS.ORG
IF WE DO NOT HAVE A MAJORITY IN THE 2017 CONGRESS TO PASS THE 28TH AMENDMENT WE WILL WORK IN THE 2018 ELECTIONS TO GET THE REQUIRED SUPER MAJORITY TO PASS THIS ACT IN THE 2019 CONGRESS. YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK. http://WWW.ONE6YEARTERMLIMITS.ORG
I thought that Congress were the only only body that can make laws? I say stick it where the sun don’t shine to the EPA. The have to go away!
Sounds like some thug in the EPA has actually seen his ranch and wants it for himself. Best way to get it – to mount a legal battle and fine the present owner into oblivion. Repossess the land by the EPA then have a “sale” of the land where the only bidder is the thug who wants it.
And they call this good government!! It is asses like these bureaucruds that need taken down along with the corrupt politicians!
This kind of overreaching needs to be made very public, so low-information voters can see that their Democrat Party has been hijacked. The new Democrats have replaced the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, and everything in between, and they are bringing the Mid-East conflicts to the USA to aid in its destruction.
I’m not a Liberal; but I am a realist. I don’t like what the government is doing to Andy, and I support his cause 100%. BUT I have to challenge the Patriot or the author of this article. Is this really a Liberal vs Conservative issue?
“… Before a bunch of liberals decided it would be a wonderful idea to give people high-paying jobs to create ridiculous regulations on everything from car emissions to the size of a backyard swimming pool …”
I think this is a “government issue” … a BIG government issue. I think it is a problem that has existed for decades – and gets worse with every passing year. REGARDLESS of the Republican or Democrat in office or in Congress.
I vote Republican more often then not, but I have yet to see any “conservative” republican that is willing to undo the power and bureaucracy of the EPA, the USDA, the FDA, the HHS, or ANY of the departments, division or subdivisions of the federal government (or for that matter – the state governments).
Let’s be real. Let’s be honest. Our current political system – the R’s and the D’s – is flawed … corrupt … broken !! Andy will NEVER get justice until we bring down this two party system that is corrupting the freedoms and principles of our Constitution.
The EPA is just one of the Government agencys that need to be eliminated.
I agree – almost every department of alphabet soup is culpable.
Excellent article except for the liberal bashing. Wasn’t it Nnixon who started the EPA.? The problem isn’t liberal/ conservative , it is power hungry authoritarians that need to be reined in and reminded they are public servants . IMHO
I agree with Dennis. This is not a Liberal vs Conservative issue. It is not a Democrat vs Republican issue. This is a problem that has existed and perpetuated for years.
Big government is the bane of our nation — and Big government is the Hallmark of BOTH parties. It is the Hallmark of both Liberals and Conservatives.
Wake up America – and realize that our freedoms and rights are being usurped by BOTH parties.
Dear Frank,
Yeah, as we have discussed often the time had definitely come to abolish the IRS, EPA, BLM, USDA and a dozen other out of control bureaucracies that serve no purpose other than advancing the power of government over us all.
“Tyranny is foisted upon the people in small, seemingly painless bites, until all our rights and freedoms are consumed!”
“We The People” have got to get off out lazy butts, and take a loud and firm stance against these unconstitutional, unregulated, expensive agencies that only get bigger and more powerful each year.
Please everyone, pick one of the many outstanding conservative Presidential candidates (with good hair and not a megalomaniac) and get involved. Put your “boots on the ground” to support them and maybe, just maybe we can put a couple of these tyrannical socialistic agencies out of business, before it really too late!
God Save America,
Orrin
RE: one of the many outstanding conservative Presidential candidates (with good hair and not a megalomaniac)
Ummm, what world are you living in?
I haven’t seen any of these in either party yet. When are they going to be disclosed to us??
Good point Jay. That would have been Ron Paul back in 2008. But that ship has sailed – and our ship is sunk.
Andy need to start the church of Johnson to create his own non-profit temple of the pond.
EPA has told my inlaw in Ga in (1993 ?) she can not fill in her pond she had dug in 1975 to stop rain water from washing out a public dirt road and she had a spillway with covet ditched to river through her land, all work and location was done after permits from county was obtained. Her sons had sent in paper work 2 times in past 10 years to fillin pond, not allowed is all they will say
Andy needs to legally adopt a WHOLE bunch of people.