Concord, NH – November 5, 2009 — In a sign that the Department of Environmental Services (DES) may be planning to step up enforcement of the Shoreland Protection Act, DES Commissioner Tom Burack today announced the payment of $23,000 fine by a Highland Lake property owner. Highland Lake is in Washington, N.H.
The property owner, Michael Kane, agreed to pay the fine for failing to maintain the woodland buffer on the lake, for stumping within 50 feet of the reference line and for failing to comply with a DES Administrative Order that required him to remediate the damage.
DES began investigating Kane in 2003 after receiving a complaint about the cutting of trees, removal of vegetation and stumping along his shoreline. A year later he was ordred to to submit a restoration plan. When he didn’t comply, he was hit with the $23,000 fine and a new demand that he submit a plan to restore the damage.
In the announcement today, DES said that in addition to receiving Kane’s payment, the property has now been restored.
I have a neighbor that made his own boat ramp on Ossipee. A Marine Patrol person told him we couldn’t do that, but he did it anyway with a backhoe and chainsaw. I mentioned it in a call to the town hall and they said to call the DES. I did several times and left messages, no one called me back. My conclusion is no one really cares what happens to the shoreline. So why did Michael Kane get singled out?
In my opinion you are an a-hole for reporting your neighbor…he pays the mortgage and his taxes and then the DES establishes arbitrary regulations ( that the people don’t vote on) telling people what they can and can’t do with their land…in the meantime milfoil is propagating throughout the lake and I see no real help from the state…yes let’s beat up on the property owners around the lake because, they most likely are from out of state and more than likely they have the money to pay the taxes and the fines…you need to get this straight, the gov is not here to help you out…they don’t care about the land…what they care about is growing in size and establishing taxes and fines to support that growth.
Could not agree with you more!!! Maybe he can get the goverment to pay his fine.
Go down the channel towards the Spindle point sand bar and you will see a new boat ramp and retaining wall that had NO hay bales or silt fence when being built in full view during boating season. This stuff is let go but everyone focused on Long Sands and next other sand bars. That crap about preservation is only used when people have their own agendas. Squeaky wheels should be replaced not greased!!