Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 Summary and Analysis

In Chapter 5, Rand talks of John Rapanos, who has spent two decades fighting the EPA. When Rapanos began developing his land, the EPA attempted to make him obtain an expensive permit, claiming his land was a wetland. He refused, knowing he was not violating any real law. He was criminally prosecuted for violating the Clean Water Act. The first judge to hear the case rejected the overly harsh request for a sixty three month prison sentence, and condemned the EPA for their actions. They appealed, but lost. Rand believes they continued to pursue out of vengeance, and they changed their persecution slightly, allowing them to again take Rapanos to court. They lost again, but won on appeal. The Supreme Court case ruled however that the EPA had to show a link between the "wetland" and navigable water...