Posted on 12/01/2008 8:47:32 AM PST by SmithL
Bismarck, N.D. (AP) -- Armed with a tractor or a backhoe, Alvin Peterson moves dirt to drain prairie potholes on his land, saying he's putting the land back to the way God intended.
The 78-year-old retired farmer from Lawton, in northeastern North Dakota, has been in hot water with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over wetlands for more than 40 years. The agency had an easement contract with his father for the potholes to house and feed wildlife.
Federal authorities, after dealing for decades with Peterson's pothole-emptying antics, began cracking down on him. Last month — and for the second time in four years — Peterson was convicted of illegally emptying wetlands. Now he faces stiff fines and jail time.
Peterson remains unfazed.
"I didn't make the waterways, the good Lord did," Peterson said.
The Fish and Wildlife Service, along with hunting and conservation groups, view wetlands as an environmental oasis for waterfowl and other creatures. Peterson sees the potholes as a pain, swamping his land with water and weeds and preventing him from raising crops.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
L
Sigh.
“Jones said disputes over the easements typically are settled through negotiations.
“Ninety-nine percent can be worked out,” he said. “Alvin would be the 1 percent. Negotiations with him, unfortunately, have not proven to be successful.””
God Bless ya Alvin.
You don’t know how much this worries me.
Ohio voters passed Issue 3 but only time will tell if there will be unintended consequences from this.
I live in Minot, ND. The dude’s a nutcase. The prarie potholes are a natural part of the landscape here. Tens of thousands of them if not more. It’s the reason North Dakota is a waterfoul wonderland for hunters, some of the best duck hunting in the nation.
If he wants to drain his land, fine. But don’t make up crap like it part of God’s plan. It’s just his own plan.
Reference post # 4:
In other words,Alvin would not bow down and kiss their asses, nor would he kneel before them and worship them.
Good for Alvin.
“Earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.”...some idiot named Seattle.............
Glad to hear from someone local who knows the person involved. There are several nutcases where I live, too, but at least two of them have been lionized here by freepers who don’t know them.
BTW, I once spent a couple of months in Minot. The longest couple of months in my life. You must be a hardy person, or a gultton for punishment.
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/oh/state/issue/3/
To adopt Section 19b of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio This proposed Amendment would:
1. Make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make reasonable use of the ground water that lies beneath the owner’s land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare.
2. Make explicit that a private property owner who owns land on the border of a lake or other watercourse has a right to make reasonable use of the water in such lake or watercourse located on or flowing through the owner’s land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare.
3. Not affect the public’s use of Lake Erie and other navigable waters of the state.
4. Prevent the rights confirmed under this proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution from being impaired or limited by the operation of other sections of the Ohio Constitution. If approved, this amendment shall take effect December 1, 2008.
Sounds like “public welfare” trumps everything else. Seems to me that your state constitution just got amended in a way that takes away all rights to private property.
So??? Is it his land or not? He can say whatever he wishes, as far as I’m concerned... and fill in whatever holes are on HIS land that he deems in need of filling. He’s a “nutcase” who is the rightful land owner and is harming no other person outside the bounds of HIS property.
Winter started in mid-October with a storm that dropped 8”.
I don’t really have a problem with him, nor do I care for Government rules over my land. But he has becomed consumed by this single issue and he’s wrapped up his life around it. Quite frankly, it just isn’t worth it. Do what 150,000 other northern farmers do. Just plant around them and enjoy the excellent hunting in the fall.
I can certainly appreciate protest based purely on principle, but he’s making this a lot bigger than it need be.
To be honest, no more land needs to be farmed in the US, this is rediculous, millions of metric tons of crops are wasted every year.
I lived in Minot when I was kid. Loved every minute of it.
When we moved, I vowed to return for a visit. That was 1971. I haven’t made it back, yet, but it’s still on the agenda.
It does not appear the farmer has much of a legal case here. His father signed an easement contract a long time ago for the wetlands.
“””The agency had an easement contract with his father for the potholes to house and feed wildlife.”””
Just looked at a sat map of the area. They look like scrapes from glaciers from the last Ice Age, and a bit of God’s handiwork.
I agree with you: if he wants to fill them in, he shouldn’t be hiding behind God.
All the more reason to keep ‘Feds’ off my property.
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