Midwest ranchers, lawmakers protest EPA flyovers

Yahoo News ^ | 7/2/12 | David Pitt

[BigEdLB]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Midwest ranchers have never been enamored with environmental regulators, but they really began to complain after learning that federal inspectors were flying over their land to look for problems.

The Environmental Protection Agency flies over power plants and other facilities nationwide to identify potential air, water and land pollution. It began using aerial surveillance in the Midwest in 2010 to check farms for violations of federal clean water regulations.

Ranchers who object to the program said they're not trying to hide anything. It's the quiet approach the EPA took with the program designed to spot illegal disposal of animal waste that they find upsetting. Most were not even aware of the flyovers until regional EPA officials mentioned it at a meeting three months ago.

[BigEdLB]

Hmm. What would happen if you shot one of those things down (if possible) if it was buzzing ones own farm? Any attempt to prosecute, under those circumstances... Maybe Jury Nullification during a Federal Trial?

[Altariel]

I expect anyone who did would receive a “visit” from the EPA’s SWAT team.

[Noumenon]

Well, CW II has to start somewhere.

[Don Corleone]

These same “Farmers”, “Ranchers” fathers or grandfathers were only too eager to jump in line for the federal price support handouts years ago. Now they don’t like the government snooping around? Cry me a river there Lukey. BTW I don’t like the idea of flying monkey snoopers either and have sighted in at 1000 feet just in case.

[Sarajevo]

flying monkey snoopers

LOL! Gotta' remember that one!

[G Larry]

ya...but you could send them a special message via “crop circles”.....

[marron]

The regulators have become yet a fourth branch of government, one that has no check and no balance from the others. They rule essentially by decree and when they come after you no bill of rights limits their power.

They have to be reined in. If you can argue that we need regulators I think it is abundantly clear that we need a bill of rights to limit their power. They can destroy your business with the flick of the wrist, they can bankrupt you at will, they can load you up with paperwork and prosecute you when you fail to keep it up, and there seems to be nothing you can do about it.

Now they are looking for evidence that cows poop in streams, and they are going to try and criminalize it.

[RetiredTexasVet]

I think the sheeple are going to realize real soon why the Food Stamp President and his corrupt administration order an extra 300 or so of the drones for use by other than the military. Combine that with all of the departments initiating their own SWAT and para-military organizations and you can foretell the future. Dept of Education SWAT team, Dept of Agriculture SWAT team, EPA SWAT team, etc.

[Timber Rattler]

They'd get you on any number of charges, including destruction of federal property, reckless endangerment (firing a gun in the air), obstruction of justice, etc.

We are now living in a completely authoritarian society, and well on our way to totalitarian.

[Surrounded_too]

Mapping studies for Agenda 21 implementation in progress.

[SandRat]

Farmers new motto, If it Flies! It Dies! Farmers putting up ADA on their land.

[Alas Babylon!]

I'm very concerned that the author of this piece, David Pitt, never mentions that it is military drones, not airplanes, that have so many upset. So he wants you to believe that the Obama adminstration would never do anything creepy or militaristic. So he only says "planes"... I do belief the government has flown airplane-based law enforcement missions for decades... Didn't the 1975 hit “Convoy” state “...they even had a bear in the sky!”? Logically people should have been upset then for decades if that is case but it is not.

The issue is the drones, which are basically run by the military. The Air Force is “loaning” their pilots and drones to the EPA. Because of the advanced high technology (FLIR, etc) of the drones and the ease in which they can be armed, people are naturally unhappy.

[montag813]

How about setting up arrays of mirrors to reflect the sun and prevent their proper observation?

[nonliberal]

Shoot one down.

[newgeezer]

environmental regulators

Just one of many reasons this Iowan put away the Stars & Stripes this season in favor of the Gadsden flag.

Then, as we were reading the Declaration of Independence yesterday, one grievance struck me as being perhaps the most applicable today:

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

The Executive Branch (our king) routinely circumvents the Constitution by not only appointing "czars" (bypassing Senate confirmation) thereby erecting new cabinet-level offices, but also endowing its agencies with regulatory authority which rightly belongs to the Legislative Branch (e.g. the EPA and its swarms of officers to harass our people).