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Religion & Law

: Religion Clause

Amish Farmer's Fine For Refusing To Comply With Waste Disposal Rules Upheld

By Howard M. Friedman

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In Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, a state court judge affirmed the earlier conviction of Amish farmer Andy Swartzentruber who refused on religious grounds to install holding tanks and contract with a certified sewage hauler for disposal of waste from two out houses on his property used by Amish school students. However the court dismissed charges against school elder Sam Yoder, saying that compliance was the responsibility of the landowner. Yesterday's Morning Call reports that the toilets at issue have now been replaced, but the new ones do not comply with regulations either. The attorney for the county Sewage Enforcement Agency said that obtaining a permit to treat sewage with proper levels of lime would satisfy regulations and allow dumping of human waste on a field as the Amish now do. Members of the Amish community are willing to use the lime, but are not willing to apply for the permit. Defendant Andy Swartzentruber was ordered by the court to bring the toilets into compliance within 30 days or else pay a $500 fine. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on October 03, 2008 (boomark / email).