The Bureaucracy at work - - Dam the Beavers
This is actually a true story and the account of the Investigation makes it even better... 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 CountyDear 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 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 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, 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 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.
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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 2/17/05 has been handed 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 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 Pennsylvania 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 1/31/2006? 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
NOTE: We must suffer fools when we elect them or hire them into a job of law enforcement.
This is Pennesylvania - - - But, we have our share right here in good ole Clallam County - JMCNOTE II: The "impending" removal of the Elwha Dams will destroy beaver houses and probably
beavers. Yet those beavers have no legal representation in that matter either - - - - JMC