A rancher is taking the
Environmental Protection Agency to federal court, asking a judge to stop the
agency from fining him more than $16 million because he built a small pond on
his property.
Andy Johnson of Fort Bridger,
Wyoming says he made sure to get the proper permits from his state government
before building the pond. After all, this is America in the 21st century, and
nothing done on your own property — certainly when it involves the use of water
— is beyond government concern.
Johnson is facing millions in
fines from the federal government after the EPA determined his small pond —
technically a “stock pond” to provide better access to water for animals on his
ranch — is somehow violating the federal Clean Water Act.
“We went through all the hoops
that the state of Wyoming required, and I’m proud of what we built,” Johnson
said. “The EPA ignored all that.”
In a compliance order, the EPA
told Johnson he had to return his property — under federal oversight — to
conditions before the stock pond was built. When he refused to comply, the EPA
tagged Johnson with a fines of $37,000 per day.
Dismantling the
pond within the 30-day window the EPA originally gave him was "physically
impossible," Johnson said.
That was in
2012. Today, Johnson owes the federal government more than $16 million, and the
amount is growing as he tries to fight back.
In a lawsuit
filed in the U.S. District Court on Thursday, lawyers representing Johnson
argue the EPA overstepped its authority by fining the rancher.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/28/wyoming-man-challenges-outrageous-epa-fines/?intcmp=hpbt2
http://conservativebyte.com/2015/08/epa-fines-man-millions-for-pond-he-built-on-his-property/
No comments:
Post a Comment