Wyoming Landowner Faces $75K/Day EPA Fines
Northern Ag Network posted on March 21, 2014 06:24 :: 1413 Views
Senators are trying to intervene on behalf of a Wyoming landowner facing $75,000 a day in Environmental Protection Agency fines for building a stock pond on his own property.
The EPA compliance order against Andrew Johnson of Uinta County claims that he violated the Clean Water Act by building a dam on a creek without a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. Johnson says it was a stock pond, which would make it exempt from CWA permitting requirements. The EPA is telling him to restore the creek as it was or face penalties.
Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.), along with Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), wrote the EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner yesterday to ask that the agency back off from intimidating the landowner.
This rancher had all the permits he needed from the State of Wyoming and after he got the go ahead and built his stock pond the EPA walked in. Your State water development permits mean nothing as the EPA now think they regulate ALL US WATER. How many ranchers can afford $75,000 a day in fines?
If you think the EPA is going to be swayed by the good Senators letter THINK CALIFORNIA SMELTS.
GOOD LUCK WATERING YOUR HERDS GUYS YOU ARE GOING TO NEED IT UNDER THE OBAMA EPA REGS.