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Thrilled on
ruling in Sackett case |
| March 25, 2012 |
By U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador
 On
Wednesday, March 21, 2012, I was thrilled to
learn that the U.S. Supreme Court issued a
unanimous ruling in favor of my constituents,
Mike and Chantell Sackett of Priest Lake. Their
case, Sackett v. Environmental Protection
Agency, garnered national attention as this
Idaho family fought an overreach by the federal
government that is sadly far too common.
Mike and Chantell Sackett are small business
owners in Priest Lake, Idaho. They are renting a
house, but wanted to build a home of their own
in an established subdivision 500 feet west of
Priest Lake, separated from the lake by a house
and a road. After obtaining all the necessary
permits to build a house, they began the
construction process. Without any hearings or
notice, EPA came in and told the Sacketts that
it would take control of their property because
the land is “wetlands”—although it is not on the
EPA’s wetlands inventory. There was no way for
the Sacketts to challenge this determination, so
they fought the order in court, facing more than
$37,000 per day in threatened fines from the
EPA.
After seven years’ worth of court cases and an
uncertain future, the Sacketts made it to the
U.S. Supreme Court. In a 9-0 ruling, the
Justices all agreed: American citizens should be
able to file appeals or utilize recourse when
dealing with the federal government.
Following the announcement of the ruling, I
issued the following statement to members of the
media:
“I am overjoyed by the unanimous ruling of the
U.S. Supreme Court in favor of my constituents,
Chantelle and Mike Sackett of Priest Lake, in
their case against the EPA.
The federal government is an intimidating force
against ordinary citizens, and standing up to
its bureaucracy requires extraordinary bravery.
Thanks to the unwavering courage and selfless
sacrifice of the Sacketts, Americans everywhere
will be guaranteed the right to appeal a
decision imposed by a government agency. Their
victory also safeguards individual property
rights against the encroachment of the federal
government, a fundamental assurance of our
Constitution.
The EPA is one of the many federal government
agencies whose overreach jeopardizes our civil
liberties and obstructs our pursuit of
prosperity. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court
expressed what we knew all along: the
Constitution protects citizens against an
overbearing federal government, and laws and
regulations must reflect that.”
I am honored that the Sacketts are my
constituents. Their landmark case will benefit
countless American families and businesses, and
it will be studied by millions of law students
for years to come. Idahoans are known for making
history, and this week, the Sacketts did just
that.
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