Obama's 'blunder' may be good sign
To the Editor:
Sometimes a boondoggle can result in a boon.
President Obama's nomination last month of former Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services was seen by many as an embarrassing and regrettable blunder. Perhaps the most qualified person in the country for the job, his "Blue Tuesday" resignation in the face of mounting criticism over unpaid taxes seems like a great loss to a nation in dire need of rebuilding a broken health care system.
But I am inclined to believe it will be remembered more for the way it illuminated and strengthened Obama's image as a wise and principled national leader.
Never before have we heard a U.S. president say, "I screwed up." Can you imagine either of the Bushes, Nixon, Clinton, or Reagan openly admitting to a mistake at any time, let alone during his first month in office?
Obama even went on to say he would probably make more mistakes, mistakes he also will not hide from the American people. As for the Daschle affair, he further stated that as much as he regretted losing Daschle as a Cabinet advisor, "there will no longer be two laws in Washington," one for the privileged and powerful and another for the rest of us.
I can't think of a more refreshing assurance -- that this time we picked the right president!
David Duncombe
White Salmon
Northwest Pipeline will work with landowners
To the Editor:
As a land agent for Williams Northwest Pipeline, I'd like to respond to a recent letter by Brenda Lexa regarding how the company will acquire easements from landowners on the proposed Blue Bridge Pipeline project.
When Williams selects a proposed pipeline route, we try to minimize the impact to landowners and the environment. If a landowner has concerns about the proposed route through his or her property, we'll work to accommodate those needs and, if necessary, look for opportunities to move the pipeline to another part of the landowner's property. We urge landowners to contact us in advance and voice any concerns so we can work together to find a solution to developing the best route possible for the project.
We have already begun contacting landowners about surveys; however, we will not likely begin the acquisition of easements until the fall of 2010. We do this because negotiating easements takes time, and we want to have the opportunity to meet with each and every landowner to listen to any concerns.
When we contact landowners, we present them with a prepared qualified offer to secure an easement. This offer is based on practices typically used by appraisers to determine fair market value for an easement.
The initial offer may not always include information on certain characteristics of a property; we can only determine this by working with a landowner. We encourage landowners to review the initial offer, consult with an appraiser or attorney, if desired, and provide a Williams land agent with any supporting material that will be helpful in determining final compensation.
We recognize landowners are concerned over the use of eminent domain. While all interstate natural gas companies have been granted the right to use eminent domain under the National Gas Act, Williams uses eminent domain sparingly, as a last resort, and only if a negotiated settlement isn't possible. We prefer to negotiate land rights with each landowner in a fair and equitable manner. We have a successful track record in working with landowners because we recognize our responsibilities to the communities and landowners we affect.
Rodney Gregory
Redmond |
