orezok
Elite Member
This one is a genuine hoot. It was an actual letter
sent to Ryan DeVries from 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 our staff may schedule a
follow-up site inspection. 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
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. Ryan 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)
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 1/31/2002? 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
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.
sent to Ryan DeVries from 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 our staff may schedule a
follow-up site inspection. 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
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. Ryan 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)
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 1/31/2002? 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
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.
