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slow laws

Man Sentenced to 30 Days for Catching Rain Water on Own Property Enters Jail
August 8, 2012 - 7:03 PM
By Kendra Alleyne
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Gary Harrington goes to Jail
Gary Harrington reports to Jackson County (Ore.) Jail to begin serving a 30-day term for collecting rainwater on his property. (Photo: Gary Harrington)

(CNSNews.com) – Gary Harrington, the Oregon man convicted of collecting rainwater and snow runoff on his rural property surrendered Wednesday morning to begin serving his 30-day, jail sentence in Medford, Ore.
“I’m sacrificing my liberty so we can stand up as a country and stand for our liberty,” Harrington told a small crowd of people gathered outside of the Jackson County (Ore.) Jail.

Several people held signs that showed support for Harrington as he was taken inside the jail.

Harrington was found guilty two weeks ago of breaking a 1925 law for having, what state water managers called “three illegal reservoirs” on his property. He was convicted of nine misdemeanors, sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined over $1500 for collecting rainwater and snow runoff on his property.

Gary harrington news conference
Crowd of supporters outside Jackson County Jail, Wednesday August 8, 2012. (Photo: Gary Harrington)

The Oregon Water Resources Department, claims that Harrington has been violating the state’s water use law by diverting water from streams running into the Big Butte River.

But Harrington says he is not diverting the state's water -- merely collecting rainwater and snow melt that falls or flows on his own property.

Harrington has vowed to continue to fight the penalty, stating that the government has become “big bullies” and that “from here on in, I’m going to fight it.”

“They’ve just gotten to be big bullies and if you just lay over and die and give up, that just makes them bigger bullies, Harrington said in an interview two weeks ago with CNSNews.com.

"We as Americans, we need to stand on our constitutional rights, on our rights as citizens and hang tough. This is a good country, we’ll prevail,” he said.

His release is expected in early September.

With rainfall 18 inches per year, you can see why they have restrictions.

http://www.ocs.orst.edu/cou...n_files/Jackson.html
As in the case of the rest of western Oregon, most precipitation in Zone 3 falls during the months of November through March. Of Medford's average annual precipitation of 18.8 inches, about 75 percent falls during that five month period. Occasional summer thunderstorms cause precipitation during the warmer months, but average monthly totals during summer are quite low. Table 1 lists monthly and annual normal precipitation at Zone 3 sites.

also:
http://www.huffingtonpost.c...water_n_1784378.html
over the years, the Oregon resident has built three massive reservoirs — in actuality, they’re more like proper man-made ponds — on his 170-acre property on Crowfoot Road in rural Eagle Point that hold roughly 13 million gallons of rainwater and snow runoff. That’s enough agua to fill about 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

and the story is two years old.

Water rights are nothing new. Wars are fought over water rights.
Usually government doesn't care unless you're doing something like daming a river that crosses your property, etc. He must have been collecting a lot of water for them to notice. That or someone on the OWRD has a bug up their butt to get him on something.

He says he's collecting snow melt and rainwater, but how does he differentiate that from the regular river flow? If you collect rainwater from your roof downspout, that's clearly just rain water. Once the snow melt and rainwater make it into the river, it's part of the river. I wonder how he was collecting it.

From one of the links above:

quote The bigger story here is that rainwater collection is indeed kosher in Oregon, provided that you’re capturing it from an artificial, impervious surface such as a rooftop with the assistance of rainwater barrels. But an extensive reservoir set-up complete with 10- and 20-foot-tall dams is verboten without the proper, state-issued water-right permits — after all, Oregon law dictates that water is a publicly owned resource — and Harrington did not possess said permits.

Looks like he's gone a bit beyond just collecting rain water as allowed by law.

[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 07-01-2014).]

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Looks like he's gone a bit beyond just collecting rain water as allowed by law.

That's the key point. Once rainwater (or snow) touches the ground it becomes a shared (and usually government managed) public resource. Some places (including parts of New Mexico, I think) even require the owners of new houses to obtain a simple permit if they want to use rain barrels to catch roof runoff. The theory is that the new building is now intercepting rainwater and snowmelt that formerly flowed into the local watershed.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 07-01-2014).]

New York state legislators have passed a bill that makes it illegal to pose for photos while "hugging, patting or otherwise touching tigers in New York state,"

http://www.slate.com/blogs/...tinder_users_do.html

quote Originally posted by TheDigitalAlchemist: New York state legislators have passed a bill that makes it illegal to pose for photos while "hugging, patting or otherwise touching tigers in New York state," http://www.slate.com/blogs/...tinder_users_do.html

Thank Gawd!!
This law is way overdue!!!

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Looks like he's gone a bit beyond just collecting rain water as allowed by law.

He only had 120 acres of property, it's not like he was able to build a lake in that small of an area lol.

He had what I would call small ponds. But the law is the law. After he served his sentence he can keep the water right?

Brad

That's why its important to choose where you live wisely. As you guys know, I moved to the Tucson AZ area for a job, but the reason I was looking for jobs in this area in the first place is because:

In my county (and several of the neighboring counties) it is not only legal to collect rainwater - its highly encouraged. In fact, you can get building permits easier the more "green" design features your building plans present. Solar panels, wind turbines, rainwater catchment and gray water reuse all factored in? Approved! Also in my county, if you own more than 4 acres and you want to build "alternative construction" that otherwise wouldn't fit into traditional code (these being like your Earthships, Earthbag domes, Papercrete structures, etc) you can apply to have the building codes waived entirely, and they actually approve!

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 07-01-2014).]

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: That's why its important to choose where you live wisely. As you guys know, I moved to the Tucson AZ area for a job, but the reason I was looking for jobs in this area in the first place is because: In my county (and several of the neighboring counties) it is not only legal to collect rainwater - its highly encouraged. In fact, you can get building permits easier the more "green" design features your building plans present. Solar panels, wind turbines, rainwater catchment and gray water reuse all factored in? Approved! Also in my county, if you own more than 4 acres and you want to build "alternative construction" that otherwise wouldn't fit into traditional code (these being like your Earthships, Earthbag domes, Papercrete structures, etc) you can apply to have the building codes waived entirely, and they actually approve!

Michigan laws

Persons may not be drunk on trains.

The last Sunday in June of every year was named �log cabin day�.

Cars may not be sold on Sunday.

It is illegal to kill a dog using a decompression chamber.

Adultery is illegal, but can only be punished upon a complaint by the affected husband or wife.

No man may seduce and corrupt an unmarried girl, or else he risks five years in prison.

A woman isn’t allowed to cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.

There is a 3 cent bounty for each starling and 10 cent bounty for each crow killed in any village, township, or city in the state. (Repealed, 2006)

It is legal for a robber to file a law suit, if he or she got hurt in your house.

You may not swear in front of women and children. (Repealed, 2002)

Any person over the age of 12 may have a license for a handgun as long as he/she has not been convicted of a felony.

City Laws in Michigan

Clawson
There is a law that makes it legal for a farmer to sleep with his pigs, cows, horses, goats, and chickens.

Detroit
Apparently the good folks in Detroit did not quite know what ‘new’ meant.

Putt-putt golf courses must close by 1:00 AM.

Security guards at Joe Louis Arena will confiscate any item they feel might be thrown onto the ice.

Couples are banned from making love in an automobile unless the act takes place while the vehicle is parked on the couple’s own property.

Willfully destroying your old radio is prohibited.

It is illegal for a man to scowl at his wife on Sunday.

It is illegal to let your pig run free in Detroit unless it has a ring in its nose.

Grand Haven
No person shall throw an abandoned hoop skirt into any street or on any sidewalk, under penalty of a five- dollar fine for each offense.

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 07-02-2014).]