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.