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7C <br />w <br />0 <br />COMMENTS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER AND <br />IRRIGATION DISTRICT <br />that environmental issues are to be evaluated in the context <br />of the decision as a whole, in light of "all facts relevant <br />to the public interest" which "necessarily involves a <br />comprehensive analysis of the water system of which the <br />Project is a part. "Ll' <br />Congress has stated that "[t)he recommendations for <br />these Nebraska projects are expected by the conferees to be <br />of a kind that will not significantly impair any of the <br />project's principal developmental purposes. The bill does <br />not change FERC's present responsibility to resolve <br />competing demands in the public interest. "3e Irrigation, <br />flood control and other similar elements are developmental <br />interests Congress expected to be considered as part of that <br />public interest balance."' <br />Congress clearly contemplated that FERC Staff would <br />give consideration to developmental benefits already <br />provided; it is inconceivable that Congress did not also <br />intend the Staff's "equal consideration" of non- <br />developmental benefits to include existing benefits in those <br />areas. Section 4(e) does not say that FERC must give "equal <br />consideration" to existing developmental purposes and new <br />Ls1 LaFlamme v. FERC, 945 F.2d 1124, 1128 (9th Cir. 1991) <br />(quoting LaFlamme v. FERC, 852 F.2d 389, 402 -03 (9th Cir. <br />1988)). <br />L61 agg H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 934, 99th Cong., 2d Sess. <br />(1986), reprinted in 1986 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2496, 2541 -42. <br />R1 Id. at 2541. <br />- 28 - <br />RESPONSES TO CENTRAL NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER AND <br />IRRIGATION DISTRICT <br />