The fear is based on experience with the lack of common sense shown by some bureaucrats in the EPA in enforcing existing "rules". Some enforcers are more interested in the permit than in the effect of the action taken by the landowner. If the EPA had demonstrated better judgement in the past, then folks would not be so concerned. This lack of common sense is not restricted to federal agencies. I wanted to use an artesian well on my place that was dumping water on the ground as input for a geothermal system. The water would be returned to the same location being dumped into a wetland that we built years earlier. Our county has a ban on open systems so I went to the local commission and explained my case. The board agreed with me but their lawyer warned the next person could sue them if they let me do this. The county surveyor agreed even though he stated that he only gets 1 or 2 calls a year to inquire about these systems. In the end they said they would consider my request and get back to me. They never did this and I bought a conventional system from a vendor outside of the county many months later. The result was less business for the county, a less efficient heating system, and a disgruntled citizen. Now there is government at work! This is not a rare case.
