Show Make Final Plea For Snake River Hells Hell's October 22 1970 marked the thelast thelast thelast last chance for conservationists conservation conservation- to take their stand and tell the Federal Power Commission Commission Com Corn mission why they feel the Middle Snake River between Oregon and Idaho can get along fine without a hydroelectric hydroelectric hydroelectric hydro hydro- electric dam sought by power companies since 1954 AFTER A construction li license license li- li cense cease was initially rejected by bythe bythe bythe the in 1958 the Pacific Northwest Power Company and the Washington Public Power Supply System resubmitted competitive proposals which gained a green light in 1964 And then the road got bumpy Under Interior Secretary Stuart Udall the Interior De De- appealed the decision on grounds that dam construction could be handled more effectively by the government government government govern govern- ment than by private parties eIN e 1 I IN 1967 TIlE THE Supreme I Court subsequently ordered the to hold additional hearings hearings hearings hear hear- ings and at the strong suggestion suggestion suggestion sug sug- of Associate Justice William 0 O. O Douglas investigate investigate investigate gate the environmental repercussions repercussions repercussions reper reper- of the proposed pro pro- Faced with steadily mounting pressure from conservationists Pacific Northwest Power and Washington Public Power decided decided decided de de- de- de to join loin forces to obtain a project license at the High Mountain Sheep site TilE THE conservationists charged that High Mountain Sheep Dam would turn Hells Hell's North Canyon Americas America's deepest into gorge one more gargantuan recreational recreational recreational swimming pool That it would destroy forever the thelast thelast thelast last free-flowing free section of the Middle Snake SO THE TIlE hearings dragged on And as conservationists gave their final rebuttal in briefs filed by Oct 22 with the the High Mountain Sheep battle had produced 28 pages of or transcript 1436 exhibits exhibits exhibits ex ex- ex- ex hibits and witnesses Which was no surprise to Staff Council Donald Sander Sander Sander San San- der der- who has now spent eleven years on what's become the biggest issue in history THE END may now be in sight Following a final power company reply to the conservationists conservationists' conservationists conservationists' conservationists conservationists' conserva conserva- rebuttal the fate Cate of the Snake River lands in the lap of the examiner His recommendation will be considered considered considered con con- by Commissioners who may reach a final decision decision decision de de- de- de during the summer of 1972 At least til then a small remaining portion of the Middle Middle Middle Mid Mid- dle Snake will flow freely through Hells Hell's Canyon |