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This correspondence has been around long enough for Snopes to verify it as true, but I've not seen it before. It brought me joy.
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Mr. Ryan DeVries
2088 Dagget
Pierson, MI 49339
SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20;
Site Location: 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
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Dear Mr. Price,
Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20;
Montcalm County
Reference your certified letter dated 12/17/2000 has been
referred 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: [Ryan De Vries actual response ..cont]
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Inexplicably,
there is another version floating around with Lycoming County, PA
substituted for Montcalm Co. in MI. What's that about?
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Mike
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