Court Opinion

ID: 9450018
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 16:33:05.945231+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:07.228656
License: Public Domain

GEWIN, Circuit Judge
(dissenting):
The logical and persuasive opinion of the majority says all that can be said on behalf of the condemning authority in this case, United States of America; but in my opinion it does not say enough, and cannot convert the language used into the meaning desired. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.
In reaching its conclusion the majority undertakes to determine “the intention of the United States as author of the declaration.” As authority for such undertaking, Bumpus v. United States, (10th Cir.1963) 325 F.2d 264, 266, is cited. We do not so construe Bumpus because involved in that decision was the meaning of the word “gravel” which was held to be a word of general meaning and not “a term of art.” In the instant opinion, the words used are “terms of art.” The controlling rule from Bumpus is as follows:
“Since the language of the reservation was written by representatives of the United States, it was incumbent upon the United States, since it chose to take less than the entire estate, to describe the estate to be taken with such exactness and certainty that the landowner would know what was reserved to him.”
The Second Circuit case of New York Telephone Company v. United States, (2d Cir.1943) 136 F.2d 87, is directly in point. There the language used was “subject to existing public utility easements.” Here the language used is “subject to existing easements * * * for public utilities.” I can see no distinction in the two phrases quoted. Contrary to the position now taken, the Government in the New York Telephone Case contended that such language excluded all easements of public utilities including *763rights and physical equipment. The Court concluded, accepting the contention of the Government,
“It seems obvious that the rights and physical equipment of the Telephone Company were excluded from the condemnation.” [Emphasis added.]
The reason the easements of such public utilities are excluded from declarations of taking is known to everyone experienced in condemnation proceedings, and such reason is forthrightly stated in the Government’s brief as follows:
“Both Georgia Power and the United States had contended that only easements for the transmission and distribution facilities, the relocation of which were, as usual, being negotiated, were intended to be excluded.” [Emphasis added.]
Damages or just compensation for the easements of the Georgia Power Company “were, as usual, being negotiated. * * *»» That is the reason such easements were excluded — and were intended to be excluded. It is not reasonable to assert that certain easements for public utilities were being negotiated while other easements of the same utility were not being negotiated. Further, it seems to me that the Court is taking on an impossible task when it undertakes to determine “the intention of the United States.” The right of eminent domain is a drastic and powerful right, although admittedly a well established and necessary one. Such power should not be loosely exercised and the titles taken should be described with exact “terms of art” so that the landowner will know what is taken and what is left as held in Bumpus.
The majority resorts to the language of Paragraph 4 applicable to Tract No. I-958-E-3, a tract not involved in this litigation. The tracts involved here are designated simply I-933 and I-945. The addition of the letter “E” to tract No. I-958 obviously relates to easements, whereas in Tracts I-933 and I-945 the fee simple title is involved. Regardless of that fact, it does not seem appropriate to me to engraft on Tracts No. I-933 and I-945 the language used with respect to Tract No. I-958-E-3. The rights taken are different and accordingly the language used must be different. All that is said by the majority with respect to flowage easements described in Paragraph 4 would apply with equal force to physical equipment such as transmission lines. The Buford Dam and Reservoir Project could not have been constructed and operated if either one (physical equipment or flowage easements) of such conflicting rights remained in existence.
The result of this proceeding is to permit the United States to obtain legal advice as to the meaning of the language it has chosen to use. It is obvious to me that the real parties in interest are the Pinsons, the Georgia Power Company, and the New York Trust Company. Neither the Georgia Power Company nor the New York Trust Company has appealed.
Finally, I am in substantial agreement with the reasoning of the Trial Court in its memorandum opinion, which I take the liberty of quoting:
“This civil action was instituted by plaintiff for the purpose of acquiring certain interests in land for the Buford Dam and Reservoir project. It is stated in paragraph 5(a) of the original complaint that:
“ ‘The estate taken for said public uses with respect to Tracts Nos. I-933, I-945, I-958 and O-1520 is the fee simple title, subject to existing easements for public roads and highways, public utilities, railroads and pipe lines.’
“J. H. Pinson filed an answer in which he asserted ownership in fee simple of the land embraced in the tract designated as Tract 1-933 and Mrs. Vesta M. Pinson filed an answer in which she asserted ownership in fee simple of the land embraced in the tract designated as 1-945.
“The Georgia Power Company and the New York Trust Company, as *764Trustee, filed claims for compensation for certain flowage easements and/or flood rights which the Georgia Power Company alleged it owned in said tracts. Trials were had and verdicts and judgments were entered in favor of J. H. Pinson and Mrs. Vesta M. Pinson fixing the just compensation for the interests taken in Tracts 1-933 and 1-945, as to each tract, the final decrees providing that stated amounts of the funds deposited should be retained in the registry of the Court ‘pending the determination of the claim of the Georgia Power Company.’
“On February 27, 1963, Mrs. Vesta M. Pinson as the former owner of Tract 1-945 and J. H. Pinson as the former owner of Tract 1-933, filed a joint motion in which they move that the Court ‘disburse the balance of the funds now on deposit in the Court to them, instead of Claimants, the Georgia Power Company and New York Trust Company, as Trustee,’ on the grounds that:
“1. The original complaint excepted ‘existing easements for public roads and highways, public utilities, railroads and pipe lines’ and that therefore these interests were not condemned.
“2. Because claimant, Georgia Power Company, has not shown it obtained a federal license authorizing it to construct a dam on the Chattahoochee River and therefore ‘said easements are not com-pensable.’
“3. Because if said easements were compensable, the easements of the Georgia Power Company are valueless ‘because of the insignificant amount of acres covered by the easements which it holds in proportion to the area involved’ and because of the inactivity of such claimant ‘in the last fifty years in acquiring the necessary easements to effectuate the construction, of its anticipated dam.’
“This motion is now properly before the Court for determination under Local Rule 21.
“It appears that the two questions, presented for determination by the motion are:
“1. Whether or not the flowage-easements claimed by the Georgia Power Company were within the exception contained in the condemnation complaint.
“2. If such easements were not covered by such exception, whether such easements are valid, and if valid, whether they have any compen-sable value.
“Since the ruling here on the first question is controlling, the second question is not reached and is not here determined.
“In the condemnation proceeding filed by the United States in this case and in the Declaration of Taking filed subsequent to the filing of the complaint, the interest acquired in the condemnation proceeding, insofar as the tracts here involved are-concerned, is described as follows:
“The estate taken for public uses with respect to Tracts Nos. 1-933, 1-945, 1-958 and 0-1520 is the fee simple title, subject to existing easements for public roads, public highways, public utilities,, railroads and pipe lines.’
“The words ‘subject to’ as used in the foregoing exception mean that existing easements of the Georgia Power Company were not condemned. New York Telephone Co. v. United States, 136 F.2d 87, 88; Atlanta Trust Co. v. Federal Land Bank, 195 Ga. 142, 148 [23 S.E.2d 430]; State Revenue Com. v. Columbus Bank &c Co., 50 Ga.App. 486 [178 S.E. 463],
“The Georgia Power Company is a corporation whose principal business is the production, transmission *765and distribution of electricity which is regularly supplied to the public and it is a ‘public utility’ within the meaning of the foregoing exception. Its flowage easements, if valid, were ‘existing’ at the time of the taking here.
“The Declaration of Taking Act, 40 U.S.C. 258(a), 46 Stat. 1421, provides :
“ ‘Said Declaration of Taking shall contain or have annexed thereto * * *
“ ‘(3) A statement of the estate or interest in the lands taken for public use.’
“In the case of United States v. Causby, 328 U.S. 256, at page 267, [66 S.Ct. 1062, 90 L.Ed. 1206] the Court said:
“ ‘ * * * an accurate description of the property is essential since that interest vests in the United States.’
“Title vests in the United States upon the filing of the Declaration of Taking and only Congress may divest that title. United States v. Sunset Cemetery Co., [7 Cir.] 132 F.2d 163; Burkhart v. United States, [9 Cir.] 227 F.2d 659. Judge Estes in United States v. 4.43 Acres of Land, [D.C.] 137 F.Supp. 567, at page 572, said:
“ ‘ * * * for the reason that the Government has not acquired in these proceedings the right to make such use of the air space above the “glide angle plane.” This is because the Government in each of these proceedings has acquired title to the exact easement or estate which is described in the Declaration of Taking, and nothing more. 40 U.S.C.A. § 258a, 46 Stat. 1421; United States v. 29.40 Acres of Land, D.C.N.J.1955, 131 F.Supp. 84. Furthermore, the Court is powerless to change the Declaration of Taking so as to enlarge the easement or rights which the Government has condemned in these proceedings. United States v. 16,572 Acres of Land, D.C.S.D. Tex.1942, 45 F.Supp. 23.’
“The above was approved in United States v. Brondum, [5 Cir.] 272 F.2d 642, 645-646.
“It is the contention of the Georgia Power Company that the words ‘public utility’ easements as used in the exception here discussed, referred to those public utility easements which have been the subject of negotiations by the Government and the Georgia Power Company, i. e., right-of-way easements for transmission and distribution of lines, and did not and were not intended to include flowage easements.
“There is nothing in the proceedings here to indicate that such was the intention of the United States. But it is not the intention that controls here, it is the interest in said lands which was actually taken in these proceedings.
“The interest taken may not be enlarged nor diminished by the Court. United States v. Sunset Cemetery Co., supra; United States v. 6.74 Acres of Land, [5 Cir.] 148 F.2d 618, 619-620; United States v. Brondum, supra.
“Even though, any valid flowage easements of the Georgia Power Company are expressly excluded from the condemnation proceedings, there may, nevertheless, be a taking thereof by the United States. Pump-elly v. G. B. & M. Canal Co., 13 Wall. 166, 20 L.Ed. 557; United States v. Kansas City Ins. Co., 339 U.S. 799, 809 [70 S.Ct. 885, 94 L.Ed. 1277].
“The taking of valid flowage easements is compensable under the rulings in United States v. Virginia Electric [and Power] Co., 365 U.S. 624 [81 S.Ct. 784, 5 L.Ed.2d 838] and Augusta Power Company v. United States, Ga.1960, 278 F.2d 1, and the owner’s remedy is under the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C.A., § 1491; United States v. Causby, 328 U.S. 256, 267 [66 S.Ct. 1062, 90 L.Ed. *7661206]; Fonalledas v. United States, ,[123 Ct.Cl. 483] 107 F.Supp. 1019.
“Since the easements of the Georgia Power Company were not condemned, no compensation for same can be awarded in this proceeding, ■and consequently the motion of Mrs. Vesta M. Pinson, the owner of Tract No. 1-945, and J. H. Pinson, the •owner of Tract No. 1-933, that the -balance of the funds now on deposit in the Court be disbursed to them instead of the claimants the Georgia Power Company and the New York 'Trust Company, as Trustee, is granted and orders to disburse the balance ■of the funds now on deposit to said •claimants, Mrs. Vesta M. Pinson and ■J. H. Pinson, may be prepared and presented.
“This the 3rd day of May, 1963.
“Boyd Sloan
“United States District Judge”
I would affirm the judgment of the District Court.