Victor Fuentes probably didnt specifically have the U.S. Constitutions Fifth AmendmentNo person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.in mind, as he swam seven miles from his home in Santiago, Cuba to Guantanamo Bay to gain political asylum in 1991.
He was simply convinced he must risk life and limb to escape Castros government oppression for the freedom offered by the United States. But, by now, hes learned the USofA. is not as free as he believed. For the past few years, Pastor Fuentes and his church, Ministerio Roca Solida Church (Solid Rock Church), has been locked in a battle with the federal government over the churchs 40 acres located in Nevadas Amargosa Valley, northwest of Las Vegas.
In 2006, the ministry bought the land for a youth retreat and to do traditional baptisms, as the property has included a spring-fed stream, known as the Carson Slough, since at least the 1880s. The land is surrounded by a federally managed wildlife refuge.
The feds have always had their eye on the property and in 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department illegally rerouted the stream to a higher elevation entirely outside of Roca Solidas property. Three weeks later, the stream overflowed the federal agencys poorly engineered new banks during rain showers sending destructive floods of mud and muddy waters through the camp, explains the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) website, damaging the churchs facilities.
The Fish and Wildlife has been hiding behind an endangered minnow, the speckled dace, as its reason to reroute the stream. However, the dace never had a chance after the governments diversion. As Thomas Mitchell explains, the rains presumably washing away the dace as well. Flooding occurred again in 2015 and twice this year, extensively damaging buildings and creating massive gullies.
The church made a statutorily mandated claim with the Department of the Interior but, of course, received no response. Pastor Fuentes and his wife, not having the resources to fight the federal government, sought the help of the NPRIs Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation headed by Joe Becker.
Becker served as Chief Legal Counsel and Policy Director for the Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee. In addition to a Juris Doctorate, Becker earned a master in economics at UNLV while studying under Murray Rothbard and Hans Hoppe. NPRIs Center for Justice advisory board is chaired by Mises Institute supporter and labor law expert Deanna Forbush. Lawyer Lee Iglody, who also studied under Rothbard and Hoppe, serves on the board as well.
Suing the government is never easy, and as a Cato Legal Brief explains, Courtesy of Congress, Roca Solida was forced to split its claims between two different courts: district courts have exclusive jurisdiction over tort claims against the government, while the Court of Federal Claims has exclusive jurisdiction over monetary claims in excess of $10,000.
The suits seek restoration of the Churchs water rights and restitution from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for negligent and lawless actions by the agency that caused damage to the churchs camp, known as Patch of Heaven.
Faith and Beckers fine work has produced some good news. On November 4th the Nevada Division of Water Resources, arbiter of water rights in Nevada, ordered the Fish and Wildlife to return the stream to its original banks traversing the church retreat property within 90 days, or face $10,000 per day in fines, having to replace up to 200% of the water diverted, and payment of attorneys fees and investigative costs.
The water agencys Warning Notice says the state engineer has determined Fish and Wildlife has impaired Roca Solidas rightful use of its water, that Fish and Wildlifes use of the water is a misdemeanor, and the State Engineer has the right to remove the federal agencys dam, diversion, or obstruction.
The states warning says Fish and Wildlifes contention that it was reestablishing a historic natural drainage course is flat wrong and the Carson Slough has always traversed the churchs land. Also, the church has evidence to prove it owns the water rights dating back to 1887.
Meanwhile, NPRIs court case is pending in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Getting the water returned would be a major first step in making the Ministry whole, after years of suffering litigation and egregious constitutional violations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Becker told Thomas Mitchell. However, the Ministry still suffered significant harm in the interim from the federal governments actions including repeated flooding and five years of flood damage resulting from the illegal water diversion project.
Becker explains, A mini-grand-canyon now cuts through what was once lush wetlands, and the significant improvements made to structures and the land for the benefit of young campers are being undone with each recurring flood. And because of that, Roca Solida is seeking $3 million or complete restoration of the property to its original status.
The federal government owns 84.9% of Nevadas land, and over 10 million acres in Nye County alone, where the Roca Solida Church property is located. But the greedy federal government cant leave the tiny 40 acre Patch of Heaven parcel alone. Mr. Becker learned liberty from the masters. Lets hope he can bring justice to Pastor Fuentes, who risked so much to come to the land of the free.
#1: Gatlin To: Deckard (#0)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department rerouted the stream on federally OWNED land that is a federally managed wildlife refuge.
Where is the illegality?
Oh, crap, there goes their case. Its a lost cause already.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 06:53:55 Reply Private Reply
#2: Deckard To: Gatlin (#1)
Good grief - I have never seen a more obedient, government-worshiping slave on any of the forums I have visited.
The federal government owns 84.9% of Nevadas land, and over 10 million acres in Nye County alone, where the Roca Solida Church property is located. But the greedy federal government cant leave the tiny 40 acre Patch of Heaven parcel alone.
Greedy doesn't begin to describe these bastards.
Becker served as Chief Legal Counsel and Policy Director for the Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee.
Oh, crap, there goes their case. Its a lost cause already.
And your Paulophobia strikes again - what a frigging tool!
Mr. Becker learned liberty from the masters. Lets hope he can bring justice to Pastor Fuentes, who risked so much to come to the land of the free.
That word "Liberty" scares the shit out of you.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 08:33:08 Reply Private Reply
#3: Gatlin To: Deckard (#2)
That has always been the case and the federal government makes the decision on what they want to do on FEDERAL LAND including diverting a stream.
So, Good grief, man .I ask again: WHERE IS THE ILLEGALITY?
Greed has nothing to do with it and they may be bastards .but I ask you again: WHERE IS THE ILLEGALITY?No, but idiot Paultard libertarian assholes like you make me laugh when you think you can personally decide alone what the federal government can and can not od.
Now, I ask you again: WHERE IS THE ILLEGALITY?
Where is it illegal for the federal government to own land and divert a stream on the land they own?
Eh?
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 08:58:54 Reply Private Reply
#4: Gatlin To: Deckard, A K A Stone, Pinguinite in absentia (#3)
That would again be incorrect.
When I engaged in this thread, I in no way had the intent to start a flame war.
I simply CHALLEGENED the factuality of the article .you responded .and I responded to you.
And poor little Pinguinite is curled up is his lonely and isolated libertarian world .pouting his ass off.
You libertarians are good as one thing .pouting. But thats about all you can do.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 09:15:59 Reply Private Reply
#5: Deckard To: Gatlin (#3)
They don't own it.
In 2006, the ministry bought the land for a youth retreat and to do traditional baptisms, as the property has included a spring-fed stream, known as the Carson Slough, since at least the 1880s. The land is surrounded by a federally managed wildlife refuge.
Not only that, but their criminal actions caused extensive damage to church property.
The feds have always had their eye on the property and in 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department illegally rerouted the stream to a higher elevation entirely outside of Roca Solidas property.
Three weeks later, the stream overflowed the federal agencys poorly engineered new banks during rain showers sending destructive floods of mud and muddy waters through the camp, explains the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI) website, damaging the churchs facilities.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 09:39:07 Reply Private Reply
#6: Gatlin To: Deckard (#5)
Pay attention, asshole
I said the federal government owns the land surrounding the land the ministry owns.
The feds can damned well do anything they want to on the land it owns....unfortunately for some, that is the way it works.
The ministry knew the feds owned all the land surrounding their plot and nowhere does it say that the ministry bought the "water rights" to the stream flowing through their land when they bought the property.
Ignorance is a terrible things sometimes to some people....but you liberterians know all about that sort of thing.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 09:45:55 Reply Private Reply
#7: Gatlin To: Deckard (#5)
There were no illegal criminal actions and the extensive damage to the property has not been proven.
If the aread flooded with the stream diverted, what is there to say the area would not have been flooded worse with the stream flowing throught it.
Ever consider that the feds may have saved the ministry some property damage....eh?
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 09:48:36 Reply Private Reply
#8: Deckard To: Gatlin (#7)
Attaboy!
Spoken like a true government-worshiping slave.
fed.gov can do no wrong and they only have our best interests in mind.
in 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department illegally rerouted the stream to a higher elevation entirely outside of Roca Solidas property. Three weeks later, the stream overflowed the federal agencys poorly engineered new banks during rain showers sending destructive floods of mud and muddy waters through the camp,
Just a "coincidence", I suppose?
You're a useful idiot for the establishment.
Ever consider that the feds may have saved the ministry some property damage....eh?
"We had to destroy the village to save it"?
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 09:53:30 Reply Private Reply
#9: Gatlin To: Deckard (#5)
You bolded and underlined it....yet neither you nor the article has pointed out WHAT the feds did was ILLEGAL.
Can you point that out?
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:16:46 Reply Private Reply
#10: Gatlin To: Deckard (#8)
Nope, without the diversion....who is to say the flooding would not have been worse.
Even more basically, where was it proven that the diversion caused the flooding?
Damn, I hate YELLOW JOURNALISM ...
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:18:37 Reply Private Reply
#11: Deckard To: Gatlin (#9)
IT WAS NOT THEIR LAND!
Your disdain for private property rights is duly noted - commie.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 10:21:05 Reply Private Reply
#12: Gatlin To: Deckard (#8)
Had the stream ever overflowed before the diversion and flooded the property....hmmm?
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:21:12 Reply Private Reply
#13: Gatlin To: Deckard (#11)
The land where the feds diverted the stream WAS FEDERALLY OWNED LAND....IT WAS THEIR [the feds] LAND - ignorant libertarian asshole.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:23:25 Reply Private Reply
#14: Deckard To: Gatlin (#12)
Probably not - at least not to the extent that the illegal diversion did.
That also does not negate the fact that you're an imbecile.
The point is that this was PRIVATE PROPERTY not owned by the gooberment.
And the ILLEGAL diversion caused the flooding.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 10:25:05 Reply Private Reply
#15: Gatlin To: Deckard (#8)
The force of nature works in mysterious and strange ways....so sayeth the LORD.
Well, maybe the Lord didn't actually say that....but he probably would have, had he thought of it before I did.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:29:04 Reply Private Reply
#16: Deckard To: Gatlin (#13)
Asshole. Your worship of the federal government and your belief that they can do any damned thing they please is sickening.
As I said earlier, your hatred of private property rights displays your communist mindset.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 10:29:45 Reply Private Reply
#17: Gatlin To: Deckard (#14)
Why was the diversion ILLEGAL and what would the extent of the flooding have been without the diversion?
Maybe greater....eh?
Who knows....you and I surely don't.
Your every premise is based on pure speculuation
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:34:39 Reply Private Reply
#18: Gatlin To: Deckard (#16)
NOPE!
But I do despise the YELLOW JOURNALISM articles you post and they don't do a damned thing in any way that is constructive.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:37:32 Reply Private Reply
#19: Gatlin To: Deckard (#14)
Why do you call me an imbecile?
Is it simply because I challenge your YELLOW JOURNALISM ARTICLES and your spastic warped thinking view points that support the YELLOW JOURNALISM ARTICLES?
It looks that way ...
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:40:43 Reply Private Reply
#20: Gatlin To: Deckard (#8)
Nope!
I am a TRUTH SEEKER.
And you are unable to provide any truthful answers to the questions I ask.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:42:23 Reply Private Reply
#21: Deckard To: Gatlin (#19)
In other words, articles that don't reflect Gatlin's warped view of reality.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 10:42:45 Reply Private Reply
#22: Deckard To: Gatlin (#20)
Lying sack of shit - you hide from and shun the truth.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 10:43:21 Reply Private Reply
#23: Gatlin To: Deckard (#22)
You show me the first documented TRUTH in this article and see if I hide from it or shun it.
SHOW ME THE TRUTH, ASSHOLE.
Not some biased opinion of a YELLOW JOURNALIST....that will never be considered to be the truth by intelligent people.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 10:46:24 Reply Private Reply
#24: A K A Stone To: Deckard (#0)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-11-24 11:21:20 Reply Private Reply
#25: Deckard To: Gatlin (#23)
Here's the first one - the U.S. Constitutions Fifth AmendmentNo person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
All other truths about this case stem from a simple reading of the Fifth Amendment.
Not some biased opinion of a YELLOW JOURNALIST..
The article is factually correct as written, you just don't like the facts - they contrast drastically with your view that the government can do any damn thing they please.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 13:09:41 Reply Private Reply
#26: Deckard To: A K A Stone (#24)
Not if the government does it - at least according to Gatlin.
Deckard posted on 2016-11-24 13:12:38 Reply Private Reply
#27: rlk To: Gatlin (#3)
If changing the course of the stream produces destruction to another person's property, there is liability.
In the case of a goverment action that produces such consequences, you may meet obstinance in bringing suit and collecting.
rlk posted on 2016-11-24 13:17:30 Reply Private Reply
#28: Gatlin To: Deckard, A K A Stone, nolu chan (#26)
The installation of ditches, roads, levees and impoundments over the years heavily modified the natural route of the spring-fed stream so much that it did run through the Roco Solidas property at the time the ministry purchased the property. The area was in bad shape because of all the modifications to the stream. Past peat mining activities that removed valuable topsoil added to damage in the Carson Slough, along with the modification and alteration of the natural stream flow route.
While the article posted on this thread failed to mention it, it is important to note that springs within the Carson Slough have most recently been diverted from natural channels and confined to man-made ditches and the stream did then run through the church property.
The feds have not always had their eye on the property, if the feds had wanted the property they could have purchased the property in 2006 .when the church group did. What the feds always had their eye on was restoring the spring- fed stream to its natural channel for the water to follow its natural flow route. If the church had checked at the time they purchased the property, they could have found that planning was underway to reroute the stream flow. For it was in 2008, that because of the heavy damage to natural area, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service undertook the Upper Carson Slough Spring Channel Restoration, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. That modification was to return the stream flow to its natural route continues today.In 2010-2011, the Fairbanks and Soda Springs were restored in naturalized spring channels in the Upper Carson Slough to enhance habitat for wildlife. Concurrent with the Fairbanks spring channel restoration, Otis Bay crews also restored the Soda Spring channel.
The US Fish and Wildlife service did nothing illegally. They had every legal right to restore the spring-fed stream to its natural flow route .and they did just that. All the natural restoration was done on federal land within the preserve. In doing the restoration, the USFWS also constructed a recreational hiking trail system that includes loop and spur trails, parking areas, overlook areas, and boardwalk designs. This trail system expands upon the existing recreational trail and boardwalk network in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge to allow visitor access and to protect sensitive spring sites in the Upper Carson Slough.
http://elbsettevendemio.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/9/0/19909339/elbs_nfp p_report_final_20140617.pdf.
God, I hate Yellow Journalism.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 13:46:04 Reply Private Reply
#29: Gatlin To: rlk (#27)
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 13:52:07 Reply Private Reply
#30: Gatlin To: Deckard (#25)
You need to specifically tell me where the church group was deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; [or had any] private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
The 40 acres has not been taken from them, and there is no stated intention to do so.
And the spring-fed stream never originally ran through the property they purchased .it had been diverted to run through there with man-made ditches.
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 14:02:45 Reply Private Reply
#31: Gatlin To: Deckard (#25)
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-24 14:06:54 Reply Private Reply
#32: nolu chan To: Gatlin, Deckard, A K A Stone (#28)
The Federal government own 84.9% of the land in the state of Nevada, and about 28% of the land in the USA.
But I believe this misses the larger legal issue. You have a pissant in a State regulatory agency issuing a Warning Notice of an administrative fine the State Engineer may soon levy against the Federal government.
And he will hold his breath until he turns blue, the Federal government pays up, or the Federal government lawyers stop laughing, whichever comes first.
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http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42346.pdf
http://water.nv.gov/waterrights/
It is not clear to me what jurisdiction or authority a Nevada State agency would have to enforce an administrative fine against a Federal agency, or for acts committed on Federal land.
The cited U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
http://www.npri.org/docLib/20161107_USFWSAV-195FirstWarningNoticeTPjm11-4-16003.pdf
The cited arbiter order is actually a Warning Notice issued by Thomas C. Pyeatte Jr., P.E., Compliance and Enforcement.
The Federal courts repeated told the Ministerio Roca Solida to go hump itself, the 9th Circuit ruled against them, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied cert.
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http://www.courthousenews.com/CNSNEWS/Story/Index/89739
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https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2649363/ministerio-roca-solida-v-united-states
Ministerio Roca Solida v United States, 12-541L (Fed Cl 2014)
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http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/cafc/14-5058/14-5058-2015-02-26.html
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-federal-circuit/1693325.html
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https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2016/05/04/13-16808.pdf
Ministerio Roca Solida v McKelvey, 13-16808 (9th Cir, 4 May 2016)
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http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20FDCO%2020160712A52/MINISTERIO%20ROCA%20SOLIDA%20v.%20U.S.
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https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/osg/briefs/2015/10/19/mrs-cert2-br_in_opp-osg_aay_v2c.pdf
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http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/LRI-Reply-Brief-as-filed-2.pdf
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https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/110915zor_4g25.pdf
See also:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docketfiles/14-1413.htm
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nolu chan posted on 2016-11-24 23:52:20 Reply Private Reply
#33: Gatlin To: nolu chan, Deckard, A K A Stone (#32)
It is a I have stated, the stream that ran through the Roca Solida property when it bought the property in 2006 was a diverted stream. The stream was diverted from land owned by the federal government and managed by the US Wildlife and Fish Service.
Nowhere has it been shown or even suggested, the feds desire to acquire the 40 acre parcel owned by Roco Solida .other than the implied allegation made in the article posted on this thread and it was used only to gain sympathy to support the contentious Yellow Journalism article.
The feds are not trying to force the church group off the land. If the feds wanted the land, the feds could have purchased the land in 2006. Furthermore, nowhere do I find any evidence of the alleged $86,000 damage to the property owned by the church group.
Restoration of the area, including returning the stream to its normal flow route was in progress at the time Roca Solida purchased the property. The restoration dates back to as early as 1980, long before Roco Solida bought the 40 acres of land in 2006.
The church group bought a pig in a poke when it purchased the 40 acres of land in 2006 without doing due diligence to research the water rights, or the right for the continued flow of the stream, on the property they were purchasing. That is most unfortunate and quite obviously disappointing for the church group.
This is no a case here to show or prove that the government abused anyone, attempted to steal anything, or illegally took any action. It has been shown that just because the church group had the legal right to purchase the 40 acre parcel that had a diverted stream running through it .the church group had no legal right to demand the diverted stream be required to continue flowing through their property.
And now, yet another one of the many Yellow Journalism articles that Deckard continues to post, without doing diligent research, during his anti-government obsessive tirade has again been debunked. May it forever Rest in Peace
Gatlin posted on 2016-11-25 06:53:21 Reply Private Reply