A Northern California farmer from Tehama County is facing a federal court action seeking nearly $3 million in fines. The federal case is part of the ongoing saga of John Duarte, who is alleged to have damaged federally protected wetlands when he plowed his own field in 2012.
The case alleges that Duarte failed to obtain the necessary permits required by the Clean Water Act from the Army Corps of Engineers. The permits were allegedly required because Duarte's land was near, and contained, "waters" owned by the US government. The case has drawn quite a bit of attention, not just for the fact that a farmer is being fined for working their own land, but also because the implications of a precedent setting ruling could have a significant impact on farmers nationwide.