Gov. Butch Otter, who made a point of criticizing the reach and growth of the federal government throughout his inaugural speech today, also made a reference before he began to his own run-ins with the EPA regarding Clean Water Act violations at his ranch in Star. After military cannons boomed out a 19-gun salute, belching smoke in a spectacular display that was topped when, between the last two booms, four A-10 jets flew over in formation, Otter said, "I hoped, as I watched that cannon being fired over there, that (state DEQ chief) Toni Hardesty didn't show up with some sort of an air violation." Amid laughter, he said, "But if she does, general, it's yours - I've already had my tussle with those folks."

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