Men Arrested for Dumping Dirt in a Forest?

I'm sorry I read this article and just had to laugh. Hey I'm all for protecting mother Earth and the environment. But dumping dirt in a forest is illegal now too?

abcnews.go.com...

Gomez said he asked the two men about dumping dirt in the national forest "and they went off on a tirade about Mother Earth."

The deputy quoted the pair as saying they had taken "perfectly good dirt" from the garage area and dumped it under a big fir tree where they used rakes to spread the soil to make it look nice.

I think this is an example of environmentalism going way to far... I could understand being arrested for dumping garbage or toxic waste or someting like that... but dirt?

Environmentalist.... show yourselves please.

Deputy Robert Gomez said the U.S. Forest Service confirmed that it was illegal to dump anything, including dirt, on the federal land.

Break the law, and face the consequences.
Or would you rather add on ten pages to the law, regulating, line item by line item, what is ok, and not ok to dump on federal land? Use tax dollars to hire lawyers to form a committee, to clearly define what is appropriate to dump on federal property?

Just don't break the law. Don't dump anything where it is against the law, and you will be fine.

EDIT: "perfectly good dirt"? Let's use tax dollars to analyze their dirt, to make sure that it didn't contain pesticides, oil, or what have you. Or better still, DON'T DUMP ANYTHING!

[edit on 2-12-2004 by curme]

Originally posted by LostSailor
The deputy quoted the pair as saying they had taken "perfectly good dirt" from the garage area and dumped it

Illegal dumping is illegal dumping. If one throws food out the window its littering. What chemicals had this dirt picked up while in the garage? If it was so good why were they getting ride of it in the first place?

national parks are not garbage dumps.

Originally posted by Nygdan

Illegal dumping is illegal dumping. If one throws food out the window its littering. What chemicals had this dirt picked up while in the garage? If it was so good why were they getting ride of it in the first place?

Where else are they going to put it? They brought it into the woods and dumped it... like anyone would do.

national parks are not garbage dumps.

It wasn't a national park... and it wasn't garbage... it was dirt... just dirt.... something the forest isn't going to mind at all. The point is I'm sure the guys didn't know it was illegal to dump dirt back on the.......... dirt....

[edit on 2-12-2004 by LostSailor]

[edit on 2-12-2004 by LostSailor]

Originally posted by LostSailor

Originally posted by Nygdan

Illegal dumping is illegal dumping. If one throws food out the window its littering. What chemicals had this dirt picked up while in the garage? If it was so good why were they getting ride of it in the first place?

Where else are they going to put it? They brought it into the woods and dumped it... like anyone would do.

It's kind of a big deal though. Any dumping is...even dirt. There's an industry specifically for earth removal and it's quite regulated and pricey.

Ever seen those hilarious signs at construction sites... "FREE DIRT!"

They mean it. They'll do anything to have someone take it off their hands, otherwise it costs money to get rid of it on your own. Most dumps run by the pound (or ton) too. That can get up there for dirt. It's heavy.

I'm sure an architect could tell us what's involved in clearing for the foundation of a large building (especially with an underground), but I imagine it's tons and tons.

And it's never just "just dirt" either. For example, the land at an auto junk yard is among the most costly land there is (due to clean up fees) and why you never want a junk yard in your neighborhood or near water. Once in, it's never going anywhere. All that oil in the land for a nickel and dime operation like a junk yard? Most are grandfathered now so as long as they keep operating no problem, but to ever sell it or close down would require outrageous clean up fees. So they just sit there forever and rust.

But back to the dirt industry. Once knew a girl who's family sold dirt. Sand. Clay. Rocks. Basically dirt of all kinds. They made it too. Clean dirt, for example. Man that's some money!!! So don't laugh when someone says they own a chain of quarries.

So basically, you own a chain of holes?

what if you were dumping air? its just one of those what ifs then you can be in trouble type of stuff. But you know, you wouldnt be dumping anything then, unless you take a dump

this post is strange. the other day my mother was cleaning our horse area by cleaning up unused hay and some horse poo. we live in the desert by the way. we went to the end of our block where it begins all desert as far as the I CAN SEE to dump the hay. our nieghbor followed us out there talking s%it about dumping the stuff. i mean the stuff is gonna fertilize and create bacteria that is going to make that spot more full of life than any dry spot out there.

it pissed me off really bad cause he came out being nosie and talking sh&t. we are surrounded by fields of alfalfa, we just thought we would give some back. im an envio major and wouldn't throw anything in the desert that would hurt her.

he was complaining its illegal to dump dirt. cryed me a river, but the dirt/hay/horse poo stayed were it was dumped and my mother was so kind she even spread it out. just thought i would share my dirt dumping experience with ya'll.

This is funny but RANT has a point, but maybe the soil or dirt as some call it.... maybe it had something in it.... was it tested or sumthin, cuz i didn't read the article, too lazy.

first i wnat to say that yes it is silly...


However.. technally, by removing the soil from your yard and takign it somewherre else.. depending on how far away... you can introduce a plant virus, insects, etc that was dorment in your yard that could thrive in a new environment.

Same reason lots of campgrounds dont want you to bring in your own firewood.

Eep! I mistyped the thread tag. Could someone tag this "dumping on federal lands"? Thanks.

I agree with several of the previous posters. If the law says no dumping, then no dumping. Even if it's just dirt.