Stop the Bureau of Land Management from Taking Private Property by Charging Trespass Fines
Stop the Bureau of Land Management from Taking Private Property by Charging Trespass Fines
The Issue
Stop the Bureau of Land Management from charging retired landowners $20k for an unlocked gate on a private road owned since 1882.
In Grant County, Oregon, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charging a retired couple with trespassing fines and threatening jail time for simply having the 10-year-old unlocked gate on the private road leading to their home and mine. This road has been privately owned since 1882.
This private property is the location of historic gold and copper mines. The private ownership of this road dates back to the late 19th century when Grant County records show the road was purchased on July 10, 1882, and since transferred ownership to the current land owner “according to law.”
In 1995 and again in 2022, Grant County reaffirmed that the road in question is in fact a private road, not a public road, and upheld the original location.
Currently, the private property is surrounded by land owned and “managed” by the BLM.
The BLM’s property in this area has been hosting several homeless encampments and has an uptick in crime.
The landowners have struggled with crime in recent years. Multiple trail cameras and building materials have been stolen, the property has been vandalized, and littering is rampant.
Ten years ago, at the recommendation of the county commissioners, the landowners placed an unlocked gate on their private road, in an attempt to deter trespassers.
The landowners leave the gate unlocked, allowing the BLM or any other emergency response teams to access the road as needed.
The BLM and the Oregon Department of Forestry have used this private road routinely from 2015 to 2022 to fight forest fires.
Now, the BLM is arguing that the gate is in trespass, charging the landowners $20,000 in fines and also threatening jail time. Thus the BLM is using trespass charges to take private property.
This violates the U.S. Constitution, State law, Local law, US law and case law, and private property rights.
The trespassing fines are currently being appealed. A decision will be made soon, Please show your support for landowners by signing this petition to our elected US officials.
To learn more, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P6WacLwwB4
We would appreciate your assistance by going a step further and contacting the following elected officials for the State of Oregon, like the US Senators, Merkley and Wyden and US Representative Bentz.
Contact US Senator Merkley:
(503) 326-3386
Contact US Senator Wyden:
(503) 326-7525
Contact US Representative Bentz:
(541) 776-4646
Your assistance, along with the authority of our elected US Officials can and should help prevent the BLM from overreaching the U.S. Constitution.
The Issue
Stop the Bureau of Land Management from charging retired landowners $20k for an unlocked gate on a private road owned since 1882.
In Grant County, Oregon, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is charging a retired couple with trespassing fines and threatening jail time for simply having the 10-year-old unlocked gate on the private road leading to their home and mine. This road has been privately owned since 1882.
This private property is the location of historic gold and copper mines. The private ownership of this road dates back to the late 19th century when Grant County records show the road was purchased on July 10, 1882, and since transferred ownership to the current land owner “according to law.”
In 1995 and again in 2022, Grant County reaffirmed that the road in question is in fact a private road, not a public road, and upheld the original location.
Currently, the private property is surrounded by land owned and “managed” by the BLM.
The BLM’s property in this area has been hosting several homeless encampments and has an uptick in crime.
The landowners have struggled with crime in recent years. Multiple trail cameras and building materials have been stolen, the property has been vandalized, and littering is rampant.
Ten years ago, at the recommendation of the county commissioners, the landowners placed an unlocked gate on their private road, in an attempt to deter trespassers.
The landowners leave the gate unlocked, allowing the BLM or any other emergency response teams to access the road as needed.
The BLM and the Oregon Department of Forestry have used this private road routinely from 2015 to 2022 to fight forest fires.
Now, the BLM is arguing that the gate is in trespass, charging the landowners $20,000 in fines and also threatening jail time. Thus the BLM is using trespass charges to take private property.
This violates the U.S. Constitution, State law, Local law, US law and case law, and private property rights.
The trespassing fines are currently being appealed. A decision will be made soon, Please show your support for landowners by signing this petition to our elected US officials.
To learn more, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P6WacLwwB4
We would appreciate your assistance by going a step further and contacting the following elected officials for the State of Oregon, like the US Senators, Merkley and Wyden and US Representative Bentz.
Contact US Senator Merkley:
(503) 326-3386
Contact US Senator Wyden:
(503) 326-7525
Contact US Representative Bentz:
(541) 776-4646
Your assistance, along with the authority of our elected US Officials can and should help prevent the BLM from overreaching the U.S. Constitution.
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Petition created on May 12, 2023