El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-09
NEW federal, WATER POWER ACT
MAY AFFECT RIO GRANDE POWER

FINDER the new federal water power act which became
y law at the end Of the last session Of congress- It m
be necessary apparently to federal license before
ANYTHING can be done about utilizing the power from the
Elephant Butte dam the Rio Gra1de project II would
be IRE part Of wisdom for the irrigation districts n TINS
valley to associate themselves with the cy OF Fl Faso and
the counties which the project lands be- to apply at once
for preliminary permit under the federal act Priority
application has good deal to do with the course OF
proceedings and It might be awkward through some
bo caresSness the prime interests Of the water users
and Of the city and the counties should be pteered with
in any way BY an application from some other SOURCE
There Is every why the preliminary steps should
be taken without delay We al know what It meant IN
the Distribution of the original reclamation tuno 70 get
started early There certain benefits attaching to
speedv action under the federal act not the least OF
winch IS that If get N our Application nov We e2n n an
probabv command the services Of officials IN the early
stages Of the laws application to carry on the invesg-
tons we need.
The new law controls any future Of the waters Of
the Rio rande that involves the Development Of power or
affects the flow Of the river. commission known as the
fe5rI ror commission Is created composed Of the sec
retaries Of war interior and agriculture This commission
is given exceedingly bread powers and respons0hes over
stream Development
the water power resources Of any region and collect aae
IN the production Of and market for power The fact that
u5ver from Elephant Butte dam might be used advan-
tzgeousty for Fort Bliss and other army ESTABLISHMENTS N
this region gives this project special importance under the
The commission is empowered to cooperate with cities
counties riqation districts OF state agencies in invesga
TONS and all the departments Of the national government
are directed to aid it.
associations CT eorporaons to any state OF munc
uay OF irrigation district to develop and sell water power
subject the comprehensive restrictions to be imposed
under the act
preliminary permits are to be issued or the sole pur
pose Of maintaining priority Of application tor license
for period not exceeding three years during which exam
nations and surveys are to be made plans perfected and
nsual ARRANGEMENTS completed. Licenses issued on
approved plans for so years OF less
In issuing preliminary permits licenses, the commits
sion il directed to give preference to applications BY public
bodies but the intervention Of private person corpora
ton at this stage might seriously conplicate things and
ebarass the water later if they desire to take up
the power project
Licenses nay be issued without charge to public bodies
not operating for profit including states and municipalities
License holders made subject to state laws and COZ
poration commissions.
II would seem as if the water the several in
CATION districts under the Rio Grands project would insist
On this power project being seriously studied and reported
OF without delay Certain phases Of It have been gone into
but there appears be why power develop
snt If only moderate scale should not be undertaken
at
It is not likely that great difficulty win be encountered
in financing such plan when once the data are wei N
hand and the plan put IN shape that financial interests
can understand what it Is about
Tie water users under the Rio Grande project who Own
OF VII eventually the dam and the sppurtenant works
are the ones cst deeply interested They If they VII
ind way to reduce their annual charges and return
profit to apply their debt to the government What are
they waiting fors
And yet wilson assured that free Poland meant
All iov and z1adness