A Blow to Government Tyranny: Supreme Court Limits EPA’s Control Over Land Owners

We are happy to report that a long-awaited ruling in a case we have been covering since 2011 has finally ended with a bit of good news for landowners throughout the United States. Today, the Supreme Court voted 9-0 in favor of plaintiffs Michael and Chantell Sackett against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

It all began when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began targeting landowners and seizing their land in the name of so-called environmental justice. But now, the United States Supreme Court has stepped in, siding with an Idaho couple who have fought for their rights to build a home on their own property, which the government claimed to be wetlands so they could seize it.

The story of Mike and Chantell Sackett is a tale of perseverance in the face of bureaucratic tyranny. In 2005, they purchased a modest .63-acre parcel of land, dreaming of a future where they could build a three-bedroom family home. The property was situated in a residential area with other homes nearby, and the Sacketts obtained all the necessary permits and adhered to local laws before starting to build their dream home.

However, their dreams were quickly shattered when the EPA swooped in, ordering them to halt construction. Without warning or the opportunity for a fair hearing, the EPA claimed that the Sacketts’ land was classified as protected wetlands, and they were ordered to restore the land to its natural state or face enormous fines. Then, to add insult to injury, the EPA demanded payment of over a quarter of a million dollars to “request” permission to build on their own property.

Refusing to bow down to the EPA’s tyrannical edicts, the Sacketts gathered evidence to prove that their land was not, in fact, wetlands. But, unfortunately, their efforts fell on deaf ears as the EPA denied their challenge. Even the Ninth Circuit ruled against their right to immediate judicial review, leaving the Sacketts seemingly hopeless.

However, after almost 20 years of legal battles, the Supreme Court issued a groundbreaking opinion on Thursday that significantly limited the EPA’s overreach. The court narrowed the agency’s broad definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS), stating that the federal government must identify WOTUS as a water source with a “continuous surface connection” to significant bodies of water. This landmark decision killed the Biden administration’s attempt to use the Clean Water Act to regulate wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams, and other “relatively permanent” waterways.

Green Police: Using the Environment to Kill the American Dream

In 2012, the Obama Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced they were creating an environmental justice unit to combat so-called “environmental inequities“.

In 2014, they then put a plan in place to take over private land and waterways. At the time, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, released a series of EPA maps which showed the agency’s plan to expand their regulatory power over streams and wetlands – making way for a large takeover of private land in the United States.

Under the EPA regulations, which were unconstitutionally granted by President Obama, The EPA decided that it would regulate isolated wetlands and ponds on private lands and in farmer’s fields by designating them “regional treasures.” They even began using drones to spy on American Farmers to look for violators of the Clean Water Act.

That same year we covered several cases where the EPA seized private land and went after families under the guise of the Clean Water Act. In one case, they went after a family in Wyoming for constructing a stock pond on their own farm. At the same time, the EPA seized the entire town of Riverton, Wyoming, handing it over to the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Today’s victory serves as a beacon of hope for anyone facing similar injustices at the hands of a government that wants to target freedom and the American Dream. The unanimous 9-0 decision in favor of the Sacketts, is a big win for landowners’ rights.

But the war against governmental overreach is far from over. In fact, Democrats are already looking for ways around the ruling. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the Supreme Court’s ruling and tried to rally environmental activists, “This MAGA Supreme Court is continuing to erode our country’s environmental laws,” Schumer tweeted after the opinion was released. “Make no mistake – this ruling will mean more polluted water, and more destruction of wetlands.”

The White House then issued a statement saying the court’s decision “aims to take our country backward.” The affirmative action appointed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre  told reporters, “President Biden will use every legal authority available to him to ensure Americans in every state have clean water.” So apparently, they are not done going after American Citizens and their land!

American Dream of Land Ownership is becoming an American Nightmare

For over 15 years, we have followed and reported on stories of land owners being targeted by the federal government. While today’s case is a small victory, the war is far from over. It is clear that large factions within our local, state and federal government vehemently despise freedom and the Self-Reliant way of life.

From the heart-wrenching story of a World War II veteran who was forced out of his 88-year-old family-owned grocery store, to the tragic tale of Andrew Wordes, who tragically took his own life after his home was seized by code enforcement teams, to the Off-Griders in California, who faced the threat of arrest for simply choosing to embrace a self-sufficient, off-the-grid lifestyle. These stories are a reminder of how willing our government officials are to steal your freedom and shred your constitutional rights.

Sadly, as we have talked about many time, Homeownership is an illusion; we are, in fact, serfs. The medieval lords have been replaced by the state who now maintains serfdom via the property tax. But apparently even that is too much freedom for us peasants, it seems their American Dream consists of a population reduced to docile dependents, confined within government-sanctioned housing complexes, just waiting for the next set of mandates to come down to tell us what we can or can’t do with our lives.