Montana Veteran Convicted Over Pond…..Here we go again!

This article was written by Shari Dovale and originally posted at Redoubt News!

You might remember that Andy Johnson, the rancher from Wyoming, just won his case this week against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

That battle concerned their environmentally friendly stock pond on their private property. The EPA demanded that he remove the pond and threatened him with fines of $37,500 per day if he did not comply. The case was settled this week and the Johnson Family are happy.

However…

He is not the only citizen that the EPA has targeted. More cases are coming to light on the extreme overreach of this organization.

Disabled Navy veteran Joseph Robertson, 77, of Basin, Montana, and his wife, Carri, own about 200 acres of beautiful Montana mountain land. They homestead the White Pine Lode patented mining claim that he owns, and live “green” as Robertson is quick to explain. “I’ve worked over 30 years for mining corporations and I know what contamination is.”

They lease a portion of it to the Helena Veteran’s Support group. They offer camping, hiking and more to veterans and their families. “There is a great veteran support group here,” Robertson tells Redoubt News.

They, also, own a large Freight-liner water tender that they loan to the volunteer fire department, and share with their neighbors. Additionally, they have an outfitted fire truck, including foam, hose reels, etc. that they use with the volunteer fire department.

They love their community and are active in helping, and sharing with, their neighbors.

Due to multiple fires in the area over the past several years, Robertson has maintained and improved his property by building stock ponds for his animals and fire prevention for his and the neighbor properties.
But, he has also scrapped with the government, by way of the Forest Service and the EPA, for years. The harassment by the government began over a decade ago, complaining that he was not allowed to repair the road that leads to his private property. This came to a head in 2013 when they charged this disabled veteran for violation of the Clean Water Act.