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Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Unauthorized Activity
>
>
>This one is a genuine hoot. It was an actual letter sent to a man named
>Ryan DeVries by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, State of
>Michigan.
>
>Wait till you read this guy's response.......but read the letter
>before you get to the response........
>
>***************************
>
>Mr. Ryan DeVries
>2088 Dagget Pierson, MI 49339
>
>SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm 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 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, 2002.
>
>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 Land and Water Management Division
>
>
>*******************
>
>This is the actual response sent back........
>
>Dear Mr. Price,
>
>Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20;
>Montcalm County.
>
>Your certified letter dated 12/17/01 has been handed to me to respond to.
>
>First of all, Mr. Ryan DeVries 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 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 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, they being unable to read English.
>
>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 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, this dam case can be referred
>for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2002?
>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 to 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 dam
>office.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Stephen L.Tvedten
>
>
___________________
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein
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