Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-09-14

the commission applications sggre-
eating net total Of 6,OO0.O00 horse
powel, of proposed installation. These,
added to the application Of the
preceding fiscal year. make a grand
total of 321, involving In excess
Of 20.00O,000 horsepower. This amount
is more than twice the existing
water-power installation of the Uni-
ted States. 1t exceeds the corn.
bined potential wit9r-power resources
of Norway, Sweder,, Finland and the
Arctic and Baltic drainages of Russia
-the chief water-power region Of Eu-
rope. 1t is nearly twice the combined
resources Of France and Italy 1t is
more than six times the aggregate Of
all applications for power sites under
federal control In the preceding years.
Nearly one-half Of the aggregate Of
20,000000 horsepower is represented
by applications upon the st. Lawrence,
Columbia and Colorado rivers, upon
which, in general. action has been
suspended. The st. Lawrence involves
international relations and may re-
quire a treaty before action can be
taken. The Columbia II under inves-
tig1tion by a special board to deter
mine, before applications are APP
proved, the relation between water
power, irrigation and navigation upon
that stream. Action on the Colorado
river is awaiting the findings Of the
Colorado river commission, an or
ganlzation authorized by act Of the
congress for the purpose Of negotiat-
Ing between the states withsn the
Colorado basin a compact In accord
ance with which the waters OF the riv-
er may be apportioned among these
states.
Duties Of the Commission.
BY the terms of the federal water
power act the commission Is required
to investigate all projects applied for,
to determine whether the structures
are safe and properly designed and
whether full utilization win be made
of the resources of the stream. 1t Is
required to make valuation of all
properties licensed under the act and
constructed prior to the ISSUANCE of
license. When declarations are filed
of intention to construct dams In
streams whose navigable status is
doubtful it must investigate and de-
terlnine whether the interests of In
terstate or foreign commerce would
be affected. 1t must investigate and
pass upon applications for restoration
to entry Of lands within power-site
reserves. 1t is required to establish
a system OF accounting TO be applied
to the operations of Its licensees and
by means Of which the net investment
in the properties may always be
known.
BY combining Its activities primarily
to applications for power projects.
declarations of intention and rsqdests
for restoration to entry, the commits
sion has been able to take final action
on more than half Of the applications
for permits and licenses, of which 11S
We're disposed Of during the last year.
1t also rendered decisions during the
year upon % declarations of intention,
passed upon restoratIons to entry in
1913 Eases and made Withdrawals Of
675.000 acres of public lands In con-
neetian with applications for power
projects.
Much Used, More Waiting.
Up to June 80, 1922, she commission
had authorized go preliminary per-
mits and 40 licenses, of which IS
were for transmission lines. The 5S
permits now outstanding involve an
estimated installation of 2,3S6,0O0
horsepower and the 81 licenses
for power projects, 100000 horse
power, or total of 4,31s,0O0
horsepower. OF the projects covered
by the Al licenses, II involving an
estimated installation when completed
of 100000 horsepower were either
completed or under construction at
the close OF the fiscal year.
Says the commission: vrhere Is
more water-power development under
way at the present time than at any
previous period IN the country's his
tory Z greater part OF 1t Is being
developed under the provisions of the
federal water-power act. There Is
much more waiting to be used. Ii we
are TO preserve our diminishing fuel
supply, are TO reduce the burden of
coal transportation. are to Increase
the supply of electric energy and re-
duce its cost. we must utilize our
water power to the fullest practicable
extent. Eighty-flve per cent OF our POI
tential water powers are under federal
control We have law which, though
by no means perfect, does provide
reasonably satisfactory conditions, and
under which large-Scale development
Is proceeding. Instead of being
obliged to drift along with an ath
ministratlon OF the law which. under
existing circumstances, fs necessarily
insufilclently co-ordlnated and only
partially effective, the obstacles
should be cleared away, whatever
their nature, and there should be sub
stltuted a positive attitude both OF
encouragement and OF assistance in
the development Of our water powers"