The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-06-04
NEW WATER POWER BILL
PRESENTED TO HOUSE
COMMITTEE DRAFTS MEASURE
WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE
LEASING OF POWER.

LEASING OF FOWeH.
After weeks of elaboration, during
which interested parties were given
full opportunity to be heard, the house
committee on public lands has formu-
lated and presented to the house a
bill providing means for the devel-
opment Of water power on sites owned
by the government-that Is to say, on
the public domain. This bill Is separ-
ate and distinct from the bill recently
reported by the judiciary committee
providing for the development of pow
or sites on navigable streams The
secretary of war has jurisdiction I'M
der the latter bill and power develop
ment on the public domain is to be
made under jurisdiction Of the secre-
tary Of the interior
Regulating Power Development.
The Ferris bill regulating power de-
velopment on the public domain, which
is the bill agreed upon by the public
lands committee, authorizes the sec
rotary of the interior to prescribe gen.
eral regulations for the development
Of power on the public domain. He
may issue permits to citizens or to
corporations, associations, municipali
ties, or to states, to utilize such power
sites on either the reserved or unre-
served public domain, except in ma
tional parks, for periods of not to ex-
coed so years, and these permits are
to be irrevocable during that time ex-
cept for breach of contract with the
ing leases, may give preference to APP
plications from states, counties or
municipalities which propose to manu-
facture their own power. Prior to the
Issuance of a permit the secretary may
issue preliminary permits to those
proposing to develop power IN order
that they may make surveys and exam
nations to determine the feasibility of
the particular project they have in
mind, and this preliminary permit, is
sued for one year, may be extended.
The person or corporation securing
such preliminary permit is to have
preference right to lease the lands err
braced in his permit.
Requirement Of Leases.
All power leases will require the dill
igent and reasonable development and
continuous operation Of the water
power, subject to market conditions,
and will prohibit the sale Of more than
so per cent of the power produced to
one consumer without the consent of
the secretary of the interior. Where
a power development lies in two or
more states the regulation and control
of service and of charges for service
is conferred upon the secretary or
committed to some body designated by
congress, and the physical combina-
ton of plants for the generation and
of power may be permitted
by the secretary, provided such COM
Is not designed or operated
as to fix or increase prices for SER
vice. No power, however, may be sold
to distributing company except in
case of emergency, unless by permits
sion of the interior department. Les
sees may mortgage their holdings for
the purpose of financing their projects.
Taking Over Of Properties.
Upon not less than three years no.
tice prior to the expiration Of any
lease under this act the United States
shall have the right, to take over the
of any lessee upon payment
before taking possession, of the "ac-
tual costs of rights of way, water
rights, lands and interests therein used
by the lessee in the generation and
Of electrical energy under
value of all other property taken over,
including structures and fixtures, In
Guiding the generation and distribu-
ton plant, such reasonable value to
NC uCtCI Wy HulStdl o6A CCIiOAN,
or by the United States; courts in case
a mutual agreement can not be reach
ed" The reasonable value will not,
however, include the value of the
franchise or good will or profits to be
earned on pending contracts.
If the United States does not exer-
else it's right to take over and operate
a power plant as stipulated above, the
secretary of the interior may renew
the lease to the origin al lessee, or may
lease the property to some other party
upon the condition that the new les
see shall pay for the properties on the
same terms as required of the govern
ment if it takes over the plant.
Fixing Char oes for Power.
The secretary lis authorized to COL
lect charges or rentals for the use OF
lands permitted under power leases
and impose a cr arge for all power
developed or Sold or used by the les
see for any purpose other than the OPP
GRAFTON of the p liant" and the proceeds
from this sour ce will be turned into
the reclamati on fund. After this
money has on .e been used for govern
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