OCR Text |
Show Wesiem Resources Non-federal development of federal hydro sites ByHeleneCMonberg Wasbington-The federal govern-ttook govern-ttook another major step toward fitting non-federal development of Hydroelectric energy in federal when tw0 federal agencies signed Agreement on Nov. 2 toward that d , agreement was signed by 4tant Army Secretary William R. fjUiand by Chairman C. M. Butler fj the Federal Energy Regulatory Emission (FERC) to help pave the toward non-federal development of "dropower at federal dams. Gianelli -Zuently notified a group of Stem water experts of that fact at a -feting of the National Water purees Ass'n. in Albuquerque on A similar agreement was signed een FERC and the Bureau of telamation June 22. Along with that jfreement, Commissioner Robert N. Jroadbent of the Bureau of jjclamation has asked the key umbers of the Bureau's planning staff jmake a recommendation to him soon t u Bureau dams in the west where jdt are non-federal applications to mild hydropower facilities before ERC. David F. Gudgel of the Bureau janning staff told Western Resources Irap-up (WRW) on Nov. 4 the staff commendations would go to joadbent on Nov. 9. "The Bureau jeeds some policy guidance on the type i project where the Department of Interior opposes non-federal irvelopment and the type of project vtere it would let some non-federal atity develop the hydropower," ygel slated. Gianelli told WRW on Nov. 4 he had jessed for a prompt signing of the tier-agency agreement with the Commission "so that we can expedite ;rivate development at Corps dams there it is compatible with authorized froject purposes and to provide that m environmental impact statement )E iiE be adequate" regarding the two ijencies' responsibilities under the Clean Water Act. "We want to get away from iplications of. effect at the federal ia fl'el, and that was the whole purpose of jd agreement," Gianelli stated. He is Assistant Army Secretary in charge nil itivil works including the U.S. Army nj 'Corps of Engineers. lis use STRONGLY FAVORS NON-FEDERAL HYDRO DEVELOPMENT BUT se Hodel told the Senate Water and art faer Subcommittee on April 28, and A reiterated to WRW on Nov. 2, that :tt lis Administration strongly supports lit) i objective of allowing the opts op-ts wtunity for non-federal interests to nh Artake the investment for power kt itvelopment at existing federal wrvoir sites, where feasible. This II, '11 involve a higher degree of local ement, may get power on line dul t in some cases, and will provide jl,. a effective market test of the need for . -Mtional power. Private developers 'Jtan incentive to build and operate ,i Effective plants. m Jbe use of private capital will reduce in al competition in capital markets sen "scarce investment funds and d even a temporary addition to massive federal debt. e wish to encourage non-federal Jsts to pursue development, ex- those cases where the following concerns cannot be adequately Cted through contractual ngements with non-federal Ropers: i.e., where there is a need meet federal energy contractual fitments; where such develop- would clearly interfere with other of the federal facility; ti, lhere are unresolvable safety, ; ""mental, or operations lems," he said. -Si" is a caveat in the Ad" , 'S suPPrt for non-federal ? Pment at federal projects, 1" and the Corps have in- C't el told tne Senate Sub" i i "we believe the Secretary W101, ould be given the Serai 'd the merits of tut .rsus non-federal develop-incH develop-incH private parties have Sme mterest in developing rsfte."isting (Bureau f ife Lt- Gen- J- K- i f U S- Armv Engineers, W t0 the crP' division Sera hv! a Policy of non" ;Tis Power development at mL,''68- But 8 Corps 'St, dWRWon Nov- 3. "We V Prject on a case-by-case ' Anient f ?0ving ri8ht ahead to '30 thT POlicy- however. As lim'inT Commission had issued 5ests to ry,.Permits t0 non-federal s and d studies on 144 CorPs Dn dams and otner Ctor ' nf ,.ld A- GiampaoU, deputy tl FERC hpdropower diJWon Nov. 3. On the XWn, 331 apPl'cations ultlg before FERC for preliminary permits to study nonfederal non-federal hydro development at 191 Corps dams and 140 Bureau dams and other facilities. On all applications not just those on federal dams "the Commission has simplified and streamlined its process to speed it up," the Commission Com-mission official said. The time it takes to process preliminary permits, has been cut, on the average, from 18 to 5 months, according to Giampaoli. The time on short-form applications to develop hydropower units of 5,000 kilowatts or less has been cut back from 15 to 7 months; on applications for licenses to develop projects over 5,000 kilowatts the time has been cut back from 24 to 12 months on existing dams, and from 36 to 24 months of new dams, he said. FERC has also exempted from its approval process entirely very small projects and some others where the hydro development will be outside of a river channel. Non-federal hydropower installations have already been built into 28 Corps projects and three more are being built into Corps projects at the present time, the Corps said here on Nov. 3. Twenty-three applications from nonfederal non-federal interests are currently pending before FERC on 13 Bureau projects, all in the West, which are of Bureau concern. They are Hoover Dam in Nevada and Arizona, where those states want to add additional power for peaking purposes; Lewiston, Shasta and Stampede in California; Yellowtail Afterbay in Montana; Lahontan in Nevada; Navajo in New Mexico; Black Canyon and Palisades in Idaho; Roza in Washington; Guernsey, Pilot Butte and Buffalo Bill in Wyoming. The Bureau is likely to recommend several of these for non-federal development. In some instances, non-federal entities might put up the money, and the Bureau will build and operate the additional hydro facilities for the non-federal entities on those existing Bureau projects, a Bureau is likely to recommend several of these for non-federal development. In some instances, non-federal entities might put up the money, and the Bureau will build and operate the additional hydro facilities for the nonfederal non-federal entities on these existing Bureau projects, a Bureau spokesman told WRW Nov. 2. More than one application ap-plication have been filed on four dams: Lewiston, Stampede, Yellowtail Afterbay Af-terbay and Pilot Butte. OIL SHALE LEGISLATION Washington The Interior Department Depart-ment and Sen. William L. Armstrong, R-Colo., have come to a closer understanding un-derstanding on new oil shale legislation, and the staffs of the majority and minority on the Senate Energy Committee have also come closer to a compromise on such legislation. Basically, Armstrong has abandoned his efforts to limit action solely to allowing lease holders to obtain off -site leases for construction of oil shale retorting facilities and waste storage. Sen. Gary Hart, D-Colo., acting through the committee minority, has successfully sidetracked the omnibus oil shale bill by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., R-Va., which was to have been marked up. The mark-up was called off at the request of Sen. Henry M. Jackson, D-Wash. D-Wash. on Oct. 28. Negotiations are still going on at this writing by the Members of the Committee to come to an agreement on compromise legislation. |