New-York tribune., 1912-01-30
Amendments Recommended.

The committee recommends rpecihcaily
three constitutional amendments-one l"
hermit the flooding Of as much OF tuo
forest preserve aa may bc necessary IN tlc
construction OF storage reservoirs; one 10
nn-mit mower companies engaged In the
transmission of electrical energy to mu-
inequalities to cross any portion OF the
forest preserve for proper compensation
and one declaring that development or the
water power OF the state Is proper gov
ernment function and that tho right or
eminent domain is proper In connection
with It,
il recommends amendments to the canal
law and the conservation law to enable
the state TO utilize tho surplus canal waters
and where necessary TO build power plants
and transmission lines for the sale OF
hydro electrical energy. and tho enactment
OF any other legislation necessary 10 carry
out the general conservation policy out
lined in the report.
The committee suggests two plans which
might prove suitable under It's general
policy for the development OF the Sacan-
daga, or upper Hudson, water storage
scheme and the Genesee River scheme,
worked out in detail by the old state water
Supply Commission. In both these cases
riparian owners have monopolised the
water storage rights for miles along the
streams.
The FIRST plan is termed by the commits
sion the tax on water impounded plan.
II includes the organization OF quasi
public service company. the charter OF
which should give II power To develop. buy
and sell water for municipal. sanitary.
stream regulation ard power purposes. and
TO develop. transmit and sell electrical
energy and the right OF eminent domain
for these purposes, and for the construc-
ton OF water pipes and electrical transmits
sion lines All dams should be built accord
ing TO the plans OF the state authorities
and under their supervision. The company
would be under the jurisdiction OF the
Public Service Commission as to rates
charged for water and electrical energy
and the amount and nature OF securities
issued. Before issuance OF securities ana
the beginning OF construction work the
company should deposit with tho ConserVa-
tIon Commission contracts between IL anu
the benenciaries for the sale OF water, the
aggregate income from which should pay
interest on the cost OF the Improvement,
cost OF. maintenance and sum sufficient
to amortlze the improvement cost within
nfty-year period. and the states charge Tor
the impounded water. All contracts for the
use OF water should release to the company
or IT'S asslgnees or successors the rights OF
riparIan owners to so much OF the flood
waters as need be lmpounded for proper
stream regulation. The company shou'd
cxIst for ffty years II should pay an
rualIv into the state treasury charge Tor
each million cubic feet OF water capacity
~ the reservoirs constructed, TO he fixed
nv the Conservation Commission, such
charge never to be less than minimum
sum fixed by the Legislature. AT the ehu
o, the fifty-year period all right title ana
interest 10 and In the lands, structures ana
waters should rest in the state and the
price TO bo paid thereafter by the water
users should be determined by the fuohc
SERVICE Commission or by arbitration al
stated intervals. subject to the right oil