In another forum someone was asking what to do about dam troubles I don't have a solutions but I have a cute story.
This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality, State of
Pennsylvania. This guy's response is hilarious, but read the State's
letter before you get to the response letter.
SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming
County
Dear Mr. DeVries:
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 Pennsylvania 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 yo u 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, 2006.
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,
David L. Price
District Representative and Water Management Division.
Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries:
Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County
Dear Mr. Price,
Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been hande d to me to
respond to.
I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget
Lane,
Trout Run, Pennsylvania.
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 th ey would be highly offended that you call their skillful
use of natures
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 o f 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
Pennsylvania
Compil ed 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, they being unable to
read English.
In my humble opi nion, 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 rights 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, t
This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality, State of
Pennsylvania. This guy's response is hilarious, but read the State's
letter before you get to the response letter.
SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming
County
Dear Mr. DeVries:
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 Pennsylvania 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 yo u 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, 2006.
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,
David L. Price
District Representative and Water Management Division.
Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries:
Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County
Dear Mr. Price,
Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been hande d to me to
respond to.
I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget
Lane,
Trout Run, Pennsylvania.
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 th ey would be highly offended that you call their skillful
use of natures
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 o f 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
Pennsylvania
Compil ed 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, they being unable to
read English.
In my humble opi nion, 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 rights 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, t
