When Andy Johnson, a 32-year-old welder, part-time barbecue caterer and father of four girls, dammed a small creek running through his front yard to create a pond, he did not realize that he would incur the wrath of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA says that Johnson has violated the Clean water Act and served him a notice in January 2014 informing him as such.
"It makes no sense whatsoever. We have wetlands now. I really think the EPA should be coming in and saying, 'Good job,'" said Johnson talking about his venture which has reintroduced a variety of flora and fauna to the region, reports The New York Times.
The EPA ordered Johnson to restore the creek or face fines of about $37,500 a day.
He has refused saying that he has approvals from Wyoming officials, and that the federal government could not implement national water laws on a creek flowing through his family's property.
"They have no right to be here. We're law-abiding people. It makes your blood boil that they would come after you like that," Johnson said, according to Wyoming Online.
"What did they do wrong? What does the EPA intend to gain? What wrong are they trying to right by imposing fines on these people?" asked Cynthia M. Lummis, Republican of Wyoming, in an interview, reports The New York Times.
The EPA has said that it has been "attempting to work cooperatively" with Johnson, adding that not fines had been imposed yet, but declined to elaborate further.
