Guest guest Posted May 1, 2001 Report Share Posted May 1, 2001 > I thought the only agency that are this dumb were in Idaho!!!!! > > > > > > This was an actual letter sent to De Vries from The Michigan > > > > > Department of Environmental Quality, State of Michigan. Wait till > > you > > > > > read this guy's response - but read the entire letter before you > get > > > > > to the response. > > > > > _____ > > > > > > > > > > Mr. De Vries > > > > > 2088 Dagget > > > > > Pierson, MI 49339 > > > > > > > > > > Dear Mr. De Vries: > > > > > SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm > > County > > > > > > > > > > It has come to the attention of the Department of environmental > > > > > Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the > above > > > > > referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the > legal > > > > > landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized > > > > > activity: Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams > across > > > > > the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to > > > > > the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's > > > > > files shows that no permits have been issued. > > > > > > > > > > Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in > > > > > violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural > > > > > Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public > Acts > > > > > of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan > > > > > Compiled Laws, annotated. > > > > > > > > > > The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams > > > > > partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and > > > > > flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature > > > > > are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department > > > > > therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this > > > > > location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by > > > > > removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream > channel. > > > > > All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, > > > > > 1998. > > > > > > > > > > Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed > so > > > > > that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. > > > > > Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized > > > > > activity on the site may result in this case being referred for > > > > > elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and would appreciate > your > > > > > full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at > > > > > this office if you have any questions. > > > > > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > L. Price > > > > > District Representative > > > > > Land and Water Management Division > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > > > > > RESPONSE > > > > > Dear Mr. Price: > > > > > Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County > > > > > > > > > > Your certified letter dated 12/17/97 has been handed to me to > respond > > > > > to. First of all, Mr. De Vries is not the legal landowner and > / > > > > > or contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan. I am the legal > > owner > > > > > and a couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of > > > > > constructing and maintaining two wood " debris " dams across the > outlet > > > > > stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor > > > > > supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended > > > > > that you call their skillful use of natural building materials > > > > > " debris. " > > > > > > > > > > I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate > their > > > > > dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can > > > > > safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, > > > > > their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam > > persistence, > > > > > their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic. As to your > > > > > request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first > > > > > fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam > > activity. > > > > > > > > > > My first dam question to you is: > > > > > (1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers > or > > > > > > > > > > (2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to > > > > > said dam request? > > > > > > > > > > If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, > > > > > through the Freedom of Information Act I request completed copies > of > > > > > all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been > issued. > > > > > Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, > > > > > Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental > > > > > Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections > > > > > 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated. > > > > > > > > > > I have several concerns. My first concern is - aren't the beavers > > > > > entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are > > > > > financially destitute and are unable to pay for said > representation - > > > > > so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The > > > > > Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed > > > > > during a recent rain event causing flooding is proof that this is a > > > > > natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. > In > > > > > other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather > > than > > > > > harassing them and calling their dam names. > > > > > > > > > > If you want the stream " restored " to a dam free-flow condition - > > > > > please contact the beavers - but if you are going to arrest them > > (they > > > > > obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter being unable > > to > > > > > read English) -- be sure they are read the Miranda rights first. > As > > > > > for me, I am not going to cause more flooding or dam debris jams by > > > > > interfering with these dam builders. > > > > > > > > > > If you want to hurt these dam beavers - be aware I am sending a > copy > > > > > of your dam letter and this response to PETA. > > > > > > > > > > If your dam department seriously finds all dams of this nature > > > > > inherently hazardous and truly will not permit their existence in > > this > > > > > State, I seriously hope you are not selectively enforcing this dam > > > > > policy or once again both the Spring Pond Beavers and I will scream > > > > > prejudice! In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a > right > > > > > to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the > > grass > > > > > is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam right than > I > > > > > do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural > > > > > Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it > > should > > > > > protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment > (Beavers' > > > > > Dams). So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam > case > > > > > can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. > Why > > > > > wait until 1/31/98? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam > ice > > > > > then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact > / > > > > > harass them then. > > > > > > > > > > In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention a real > > > > > environmental quality (health) problem in the area. It is the > bears. > > > > > Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe > you > > > > > should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers > > > > > alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your > > > > > step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!) > > > > > > > > > > Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to > > > > > contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this > response > > > > > to your day office via another government organization - the dam > > USPS. > > > > > Maybe, someday, it will get there. > > > > > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > > > > > L. Tvedten > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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