|
<br />'.
<br />
<br />r.oll"rllr.tion of Federal Irallsmi'sion Ime, from F"c1o>r~1 pm"" planr,;
<br />1{I~hard Freeman, pre,enlly a memher (Ilthe.l ';nnl~S"~" Valley AUlhori-
<br />ty Board of Directors, wrole in 1'151 Ihal:
<br />
<br />Prh'(Ilt' !IIIJitit!S n'H'f..' (/t!mOfISlm/r'd lil1l/' ,,11,[ '(~'llil! ,II,,! r}!I'\" ll~.' 1I'If .orella"'ll !f! ('ltn~-
<br />mil elt'l.'rricify 10 puMtr 1/~('lIciC5 "I fait'," {""'I.l/llr;1/l1t' ,';1 ;!I",,' ol fIll' 1-,'(/1",1/ .1~(lI'r'III'
<br />mpn!. althollJ:!h m "ff'I\'/II.HOllrt'l jI1l"11fO/,It, /a"'~ hill'I' "l,','" !~J.ft'rl'd hy pnl'll/""fili:iL'.I,
<br />hili nfl'I' a.fft., COn!;fl'.\\' 11(1\ nlllhon:.t>tlll1c I t'derlJ! 1/!',"m-",I' 'I'. "t1~!IIIl'1 i..~ fllI'J, [{.II/HIIII
<br />'iiun l/fIn. "rl't'ma/J. . Rt'.'!,/(JIHJla,,(j Ril-t'r I ,;f/<,'I' Ill/MH" I'/Jhl" Ikn'I'Wflh'1If,".In 1\,'"1'/1
<br />,. Rei', J(JJ (.It 4// (11)5/1.
<br />
<br />To a very lUI'J;!e degr(':~. CllSll)nll.'r~ I1tW,' ."ll'f\'cd hy nna\ dL'LUil:
<br />l:OOpt.:rcHives and hy Illan~' :-.1111111 Id\\'II'" \H:'rc llllahk In :":ol:dlrl.: u(ilily
<br />~crvicc lInlilltwv \\'cn,,' i.1hk Itl rdfIll fh~ir lIn 11 ',mall IIlili(ic;-, i.ind Itl~(.'
<br />nctvCintagc of thl: :l\'ilIl.lhilil)' uf I'nh:ral pnwcL "illl' l'llil":II1lCllf llf I Ill.'
<br />preferent:e dau.'il.', alol1!! willi h.'dl~r;JJ dJ'llrh In I..'JlI:Ollragl.' JIll' l'rcalillJ)
<br />flf public power agelh:ic:'i and 1I1l' c,lnSlnJl'ljt~1l (If h'lkrallrall"mi~si;HI
<br />lin..:..s, have helped pr(,\'t.:n1IIll.' i.1hu~c Ilf tht.' 11I;IIIi)rh)l~ pt)\\'l"r:. ('d Ihl.' pri-
<br />\'~le IItililies.
<br />This hislorical hackgroulld SlIggl'''' thai Ih," Cllaclillclll or thc prdel.
<br />encl~ I,,'liiLlSC, along wilh FL.'dcral 1=f1on... II) ~Ih":dllrjtg(' the L'h':.'atinn of
<br />J1uhli(' power agencies and fhe 1:()n~lnll":liIHl Ill' l'edL'r~d Iranl.,lIli:.;;;-,inn
<br />lillt:~J. have retJuL'L'd I he rcliillh"C 1....1\ I ht' p,~\\'erllll IIl\'L'"~,ItH.lH\ llL'd ulih-
<br />tic,,,,, The related L.IClllJ"S of IIlI1I1l)!'h'dy rHI\\l"1" and independl'llLl', whidl
<br />W~le I~rucial in fhe lir..., ill')liIlKt..' III lilt: L'llilCIIlIt.:'1I1 01 Ihe 'ilaltJle~ whil'h
<br />dfford prererl'nc~, arc: e\'en IIWfl.: h:kVillll 111 lilt' l'Olllcxl of Ille dt'ctri~:
<br />utility indllstry t0day. DUling lhe pd.,t kw \'Car" Ihe \Hllllher 01
<br />investor-owned utililies ha, decrea,.cd draJllatically, f","u 2115 in ILJ27,
<br />tn 251> in 1976.". Puhlic h..,dies and ,ollpnati'e', like Ihe s\Halle'
<br />in\'c~tor-nwncd Htilili~s, are the lar!!cl.... of Lilt: ill\'l'~lllr-l)WJlcd sySIC'IllS.
<br />Threals to thc powcr supply of the.,c puhlic bod,,-, and cooperativc',
<br />sllch as the modifi\:alillll or elimilluliollllf thl' prefl'rl'IlL'C l..'IUlISC, \."ould
<br />lead to further cOIH:entralion of nllllrl)) U\l'l' Ihe t:lt'l:lrit: ulilily induslry
<br />in the: hands of a rdalively :;maIlIHllnOl'1" Ill' ill\"I'Slllj"'llWIlt'd 1IIililie~.
<br />Finally, Congres., ha., heen williJl~ to Illakc r1islillct;ow, ,Ill the basi,
<br />of size, a, well as on Ihl' form of ol>l1<T,hip. Since \\'Mld \\';11 II, Ihis
<br />Nalinn ha~ made Inall~ 10 'imall hll;-,iner..,'ics al h.1\\('1' r;t1e~, anu 011 more.:-
<br />favorable lerms than \\lcn: availahle III IhC:IH ill lilt: Plj\\Jll' kndillP.
<br />world. The rationale for Il,is long-slanding j1<llicy .., Ihal il is in Ih,~
<br />Nation's best inleresl II) preserve Ihe uppunllllil)" fl)f ~Illi.tll bllSlnt~~,~t:s Ii)
<br />nourish and \0 playa meflll role ill our COll\\\\CfCiallifc, hCC"",,; of ,hl'
<br />benefits to be derived front pluralism, compclitillll and indepelldell'.c.
<br />In part, this same rationale also underlies the Prefercnce Clause.
<br />
<br />[.
<br />The Prderence Clause Provides Creater Oppllrlnnil).
<br />for Local Control.
<br />
<br />Closely related to Ihe issue of avoiding Ihe abuses of power common 10
<br />monopolies is the preservalion of local COlllrol. The massi\'e sile of
<br />mosl private utility companies makes (hem Ie" responsive to Ihe needs
<br />and desires of local governmenl and consumer groups. The operation of
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />:~rl'd('ral Plml'r Commi:''llon, "N<.ltinl1itl
<br />P\I\\c..'r Sliney" (llJ7()); '"EIt'l'lri,"' L :lllll\'
<br />SI;lIl'lIIl".," PUb/II' Pow!'r, ~h,
<br />lall.-F<~. 1~7~.
<br />
<br />23
<br />
|