Oregon Man Gets 30 Days in Jail for Collecting Rainwater

It was government rainwater.

An Oregon man was sentenced to 30 days in jail and over $1,500 in fines for collecting rainwater.
CNS News reported:

A rural Oregon man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in jail and over $1,500 in fines because he had three reservoirs on his property to collect and use rainwater.

Gary Harrington of Eagle Point, Ore., says he plans to appeal his conviction in Jackson County (Ore.) Circuit Court on nine misdemeanor charges under a 1925 law for having what state water managers called “three illegal reservoirs” on his property – and for filling the reservoirs with rainwater and snow runoff.

“The government is bullying,” Harrington told CNSNews.com in an interview Thursday.

“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. So, 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.

Hat Tip Ed

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#1 July 27, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Winston Wolfe commented:

While I agree the government is a bully, I suspect there’s more to this story than what we’re reading here …. like he was probably warned in the past about collecting rainwater.

Now, some may think he should be able to do so. But imagine if everybody did that. And you’re a farmer – who has senior water rights – and your crops are drying up because the aquifer isn’t be recharged … because everybody is hoarding the rainwater.

A single rain barrel for personal use is one thing. Three reservoirs is quite another.
#2 July 27, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Militant conservative commented:

Winston Wolfe is an idiot.
#3 July 27, 2012 at 1:33 pm
bigkahuna commented:

Screww them. Its a right to catch and keep what lands on your property.

These natzis need their collective @sses kicked. Sue their pants off
#4 July 27, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Francesca commented:

When will we be fined for exhaling CO2? Terrible for the enviornment, doncha know.
#5 July 27, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Francesca commented:

Oops . . . environment
#6 July 27, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Doug Glatt commented:

Sure, because even though it falls out of the sky, onto your property, it belongs to the government. Water now; air next.
#7 July 27, 2012 at 1:40 pm
bg commented:

++

S510 (#59)

scroll for more (#24)

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” ~ BHO

==
#9 July 27, 2012 at 1:46 pm
James Wolfe commented:

So if he puts up windmills won’t that be impeding the free flow of air? The air belongs to everyone. If he has lots of animals won’t they use more than their fare share of air? It’s so stupid. If he builds a damn eventually it will fill up and start draining. All he did was delay the flow. Any excess water that flows in during a rain will immediately flow out. And any water that evaporates will fall somewhere else. They’re acting like its a zero sum gain. That if he stores up water on his land it somehow disappears and never returns to the system. Idiots.
#10 July 27, 2012 at 1:50 pm
OCDick commented:

…like he was probably warned in the past about collecting rainwater.

Why don’t you read the %$#&ing article. He was initially given permits…oh, the heck with it—you’re an idiot. Go share your ignorance with your friends and family. They deserve you.
#11 July 27, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Ryan commented:

He needs to charge rent to the Government when it rains for the water using his property…he could charge the Government with trespassing since the rain didn’t have permission to enter on to his private property.
#13 July 27, 2012 at 2:04 pm
dmacleo commented:

and yet if his property allowed fast runoffs he’d get fined for that for storm water runoff/grey water crap.
#14 July 27, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Graham Davis commented:

Yeah, this from the State that will not even allow you to pump your own gas! (We are so much smarter than you.)
#15 July 27, 2012 at 2:19 pm
even steven commented:

Rain that falls on my property is mine, and I’ll do what I want with it. On the same token, I’ll do what I want with my land, too. If the government green police give me too much grief, I’ll cut all the trees down and line the ground with black plastic.
#16 July 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Foul Temptress commented:

Actually it is pretty common in the American West for landowners not to have rights in rain water that falls on or traverses your property. Water was always a scarce resources in the West and water rights historically did not pass automatically with property rights. It is illegal for landowners to trap rain water in Colorado, my home state.

Similarly, mineral rights don’t pass automatically with property rights in the West. When you buy a piece of real property you are typically only buying the “surface rights.” Another entity may hold rights to oil, gas, or minerals below the surface.

Not much sympathy for this guy.
#17 July 27, 2012 at 2:54 pm
xiphos commented:

#9 “If he has lots of animals won’t they use more than their fare share of air?” WTH are you breathing? More than your ‘fair share’ of left wing flatulance no doubt. And never mind what your mother said ………. do not wash behind your ears.
#18 July 27, 2012 at 3:09 pm
bg commented:

++

ANTI-CONSERVATION LAWS VIA THE GLOWBALL
WARMING HOAXTERS?? I’M SOOOO SHOCKED!!

my Aunt & Uncle always had a “rain barrel” by
their back door, not a farm in sight, go figure..

but not to worry, they’re only planning on killing off 25 million at first..

==
#19 July 27, 2012 at 3:17 pm
bg commented:

++

history repeats itself, yes it do..

the greatest trick the ever pulled
was convincing US he didn’t exist..

==
#20 July 27, 2012 at 3:22 pm
OCDick commented:

#16 July 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Foul Temptress commented:

He got permits, you dolt! I’ll have no sympathy for your sorry @$$ when the government takes away your rights. You don’t deserve any.