Political Quotes

“What I was saying was Mr. Conrad gave testimony in 1991, in which he argued against FERC giving up being the final arbitrator of these hydroelectric projects, and he said at that time that he would like FERC preserved as the final arbitrator by saying that if the right was withdrawn, it would eliminate, and he gave three reasons, it would eliminate the critical floor of environmental protection that now exists in the Federal Power Act and in related Federal environmental laws; second, it would make hydroelectric licensing and the protection of the environment much more difficult and unpredictable than it is currently; and third, and to address your specific concerns, it would vastly reduce, especially in the Western States, the opportunities for the public to be involved in the environmental conditions associated with hydropower development. As I am sure the gentleman is aware, FERC goes through exhaustive hearings in which local citizens are allowed to give testimony.”