>Subject: The Dam Builders
>
>The Law is the Law
>This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries by the Michigan
>Department of Environmental Quality, State of Michigan. 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; 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,
>2003.
>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: **
> Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County.
> Dear Mr. Price,
> Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I
>am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson,
>Michigan. A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of
>constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dam 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 1/31/2003? 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.
> Thank You,
> Ryan DeVries & The Dam Beavers
>