In the case of Sackett vs. the EPA, landowners are taking back their property rights from a federal government which has spent more time micromanaging properties and extending unwarranted opportunities of eminent domain.
Mike and Chantell Sackett of Bonner County faced stiff penalties of $75,000 a day for failing to restore wetlands on their property, a displacement which the couple had initiated when the couple began building their home. A alleged violation of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that they would have to continue building, suffer a fine, then pursue legal action in court.
Thankfully, the Supreme Court disagreed with this rationale, which would have forced the Sacketts to commence building and endure a heavy fine while dealing with hearings to establish their own counterclaims.
Truly, it is shameful to see private citizens have to dance with so many federal agencies just to construct a home, especially when the limitations handed down by the EPA are so vague as to be almost meaningless. Because the Supreme Court ruling in the couple's favor has only narrow implications, we will not witness any significant deregulation in the EPA's enforcement of arcane and arbitrary rulings which prefer nature to man, and certainly favor bureaucracy over constitutional rule and limited government.
Still, a victory for the private citizen in the face of Big Government is a welcome development, and I wish the Sacketts all the best.