Richard Nixon bears some of the blame, as he created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by executive order in 1970.  In the intervening 44 years, the EPA has grown to massive proportions, now employing over 17,000 in ten regional offices, plus many more in contractual arrangements.  It’s budget is in excess of 8.6-billion dollars per year.  It is a bureaucratic colossus, and as colossi are prone to do, it throws it’s weight around, often crushing the little people in the process.

That is what is currently happening to the family of welder Andy Johnson, who lives with his wife Katie and their three kids on a small “farmette” in Wyoming.  Andy, foolishing thinking that he could do what he wished on his own property, built a small stock pond on the property for the recreational enjoyment of his family.  Then the EPA fell on him like a ton of bricks, demanding that he reverse his actions and fill in the pond.

From the story written earlier this week by Barnini Chakraborty at Fox News:

The EPA order on January 30th gave Johnson 30 days to hire a consultant and have him or her assess the impact of the supposed unauthorized discharges.  The report was also supposed to include a restoration proposal to be approved by the EPA as well as to contain a schedule requiring all work be completed within 60 days of the plan’s approval.

If Johnson doesn’t comply — and he hasn’t so far — he’s subject to $37,500 per day in civil penalties as well as another $37,500 per day in fines for statutory violations.

Read the entire disgusting story, HERE.