Politics controls everything.
While we were building we were hit up by the DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) for a permit because we had "disturbed" 2 acres of soil. Huh? Like we're going to build a beautiful home & not grow grass? It seemed the pond digging pushed us over 1 acre which would of been exempt.
"So, $720 for what?" I asked DEQ.
"Well," DEQ replied. "Because you're within 500' of a drainage canal to Lake Huron. All this loose soil can drain into the canal unless the vegetation is restored."
"But all my land slopes in the opposite direction of that canal. It's impossible for rain water to flow uphill into the canal."
"It doesn't matter, you disturbed soil within 500'".
We paid for the permit & a year later received a 50% refund. But, all we did was build a home. Hundreds of thousands of acres are farmed each year. Tons of fertilizer, pesticides & weedkiller are used - all legally exempt, & all that flows into the lakes, too. I'm all for farmers but I don't understand the politics of the DEQ. How could I be charged for a permit for 2 acres & no chemicals & farmers exempt?
I've seen some suggestions of products other than Diuron & I will try one. My goal was to clear the pond, not kill our environment!
Thanks everyone!
