The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1936-02-27
DECISION ON IVA MAY Help
EXPAND COULEE POWER SITE
Supreme Court Action Hailed As
Opening For Unification
With Bonneville
Affects All Projects
Extensive Program Of Ten Dams
Planned To Harness
Columbia River

WASHINGTON, February 2s -
supported by supreme court ap-
prevail of generation and sale OF
federal power, the new deal pro-
posed to carry forward In the Pa
cific Northwest comprehensive de-
yelopment Of one of the nations
great electrical energy sources.
The program, envisaging eventual
construction of a mighty chain of
10 hydro-electric dams to harness
the power of the Columbia river.
was submitted in report re-
quested by President Roosevelt
from the Pacific Northwest regional
planning commission.
To administer this huge pro-
gram, Pacific Northwest power
agency, resembling IVA but differ
ing from it in important particulars
was recommended.
Would Be Power Agency
The new government set-up
would be power agency pure and
simple, devised to administer the
creation, transmission and sale of
power. It would be stripped of the
multidunious side activities of iva.
No estimate of the eventual cost
of the proposed development was
submitted In the report but 1t was
thought certain to run into the
billions.
Secretary of Interior Harold L.
Ickes made public the report. His
tro 10 -
house was dated January 8. It's
details had been kept secret pending
supreme court IVA ruling.
The report was described as
strictly within scope of the de-
cision. If adopted and financed,
however, it would achieve the gov
ernment's power detectives.
Plan New Authority
Sen. James P. Pope Cd. Ida.)
said he expected to rewrite his Co
lumbia valley authority bill. intro
duced early last session, to con-
form substantially with the plan
ming commissions report and offer
it within the next few days.
Pope said the gradual shifting Of
agricultural population westward
would attract new industries to that
area if cheap power becomes avail
able. He said he believed the Pa
cific Northwest can become one of
the greatest agricultural and in
dustrial centers of the United
States"
He noted that the trend Of de-
ciSlOnS by the supreme court has
indicated the federal government
will not be permitted to regulate
industry" and said the "only
method of controlling trade prac-
tees in the conduct of industry ap-
pears to be direct competition
through government corporations
as is being done through the IVA"
Would Aid Navigation
Within the broad scope of the
recommendations was unified
program to improve steam naviga-
ton, irrigating arid land and sup
ply cheap energy to washington.
oregon, Idaho and western Mon
tana.
The recommendations centered
upon Grand Coulee dam, now under
construction in Washington, Bonnie
vile dam, being built in Oregon.
and four year old study by the
army engineering corps.
The supreme court ruled in the
IVA suit that the government could
sell excess power from federal
dams constructed for constitutional
reasons of national de1ense and
navigation. Almost as if anticipat-
ing this ruling, the northwest plan
pointed out that the Columbia
river ultimately can be made nav
igable for it's entire length in the
United States"
(rnptipuod On paOo Thrao1