The agency ordered him to remove the dams from the outlet stream of Spring Pond, restore the water to a free-flowing condition, and notify the office so staff could inspect the site.
Ryan’s reply was even better than the complaint.
Dear Mr. Price,
Your certified letter dated 11/17/12 has been handed to me. I am the legal landowner, but not the contractor, at 2088 Dagget Lane, Trout Run, Pennsylvania.
A couple of beavers are in the process of constructing and maintaining two wood “debris” dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, or supervise their project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of nature’s building materials “debris.”
I would like to challenge your department to attempt to copy their dam project any time or 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, 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 before starting this type of dam activity.
My first dam question to you is: are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or do you require all beavers throughout this state to conform to said dam request?
If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, under the Freedom of Information Act, I request copies of all other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued.
I have several dam concerns. First, aren’t the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and unable to pay for said representation, so the state will have to provide them with a dam lawyer.
The Department’s concern that one or both dams failed during a recent rain event 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, being unable to read English.
