Here is  the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries:  


Re: DEQ  File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County

Dear Mr.  Price,

Your certified letter dated 11/25/07 has been handed to me  to respond to.
I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088  Dagget Lane, Trout Run, Pennsylvania .

A couple of beavers are in  the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood  "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not  pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be  highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building  materials "debris."

I would like to challenge your department to  attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose.  I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their  dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam  persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.  

  These are the  beavers/contractors you are seeking. 

As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to  the start of this type of dam activity.

My first dam question to  you is:

(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond  Beavers, or

(2) do you require all beavers throughout this State  to conform to said dam request?

If you are not discriminating  against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act,  I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam  permits that have been issued.

(Perhaps we will see if there  really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the  Natural Resource and Environmental
Protection Act, Act 451 of the  Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the  Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.)

I have several concerns.  My first concern is, aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation?  The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay  for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a  dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the  dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that  this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect.  In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than  harassing them and calling them dam names.

If you want the stream  "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but  if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention  to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.

In my  humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their  unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water  flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy  Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental  Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources  (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).

So, as far as the  beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more  elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2008? The  Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way  for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them.

In conclusion, I  would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality,  health, problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually  defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting  the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to  investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! The bears are not careful  where they dump!

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and  being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending  this response to your dam office.

THANK YOU,

RYAN DEVRIES  
& THE DAM BEAVERS

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