Rex, what do you envision them grabbing from landowners, and how will it be profitable for them? Nothing happens without a dollar sign being attached somewhere, so what's the payoff, and how will it benefit the EPA?
Yes, over the last decade my county has begun to take strides with zoning. And it was about time. However, just like the laws and proposals we are discussing this evening, I feel there would be no need for zoning if everyone simply respected each other's rights.
But they don't. So there has to be some teeth added to the mix, somewhere. If there weren't laws to this effect, what recourse would we have after polite conversation went nowhere?
G'night, fellas.
Tony, it is not about money in this case for those creating the rules, it is the power and control, yet the $$$ are literally enough to run modest size countries on. The fines are $37,500 a day, criminal, and $37,500 per day, civil. There are countless instances courts have found "violators" innocent of EPA violations in the criminal courts, yet the EPA, KNOWING it was wrong, still pursues you in civil court. Now, you can spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire an attorney, or you can pay a smaller, 5-6 figure settlement. Power hungry people with agendas do not care about money, they care about their personal goals and being "wrong" is NOT something they will either admit or accept. The threat alone of a $75,000/day fine causes most to run scared and not defend themselves...it is a hopeless cause unless you have billions to spend....the government has no dollar limit, nor any incentive to do what we do naturally, the right thing.
As to what they will grab? All your personal control to do as you wish on your own land. A whole NEW set of rules are going to start flowing out of the EPA, similar to Wildlife Codes, restrictive...meaning unless it is specifically legal as to action and method, it will be illegal.
One has to look no further than the annual, automatic budget increases in every sector of government. Governments collect money from us, they are not a business bound by any constraints they limit us with.
Can you name a single regulation that has saved you money in your business or personal life?
