Evening star., 1953-08-19
U. 5. Easing Up
On Control Of
Public Power
Seeks to Have LocuI
And PriVute Interests
Develop Resources
BY The Associated Press

NSSSSbSS
BY The Associated Press
The Eisenhower adminiStra-
ton has charted a narrowed re-
sponsibility for the Federal Gov
eminent in the power field,
aimed at giving an increased
share to public and private To-
cal interests.
Acting Secretary of the Inter-
1or Ralph A. Tudor said the
power policy enunciated yester-
day is aimed at getting more
power production in the Nation
through more natural resource
development.
The Interior Departments
policy, which President Eisen-
hover simultaneously indorsed
in Denver, was made public at
news conference. 1t largely rep
resents the putting together into
one document OF views pre-
viously expressed by top de-
partment officials.
New Policy Outlined.
The new policy says:
1T is recognized that the -pri-
mary responsibility for supply
ing power needs of an area rests
with the people locally.
THE responsibility of the De-
partment of the Interior is to
give leadership and assistance in
the conservation and wise utili-
cation of natural resources.
THE department does not as
sumo that it has the exclusive
right or responsibility for the
construction of dams for the
generation, transmission and sale
of electric energy in any area,
basin or region.
In general, it will not op-
pose the construction of facili-
ties which local interests, either
public or private, are willing and
able to provide in accordance
with licenses and other controls
of the Federal Power Commis-
sion or other appropriate regu-
latory bodies :"
Shift of Responsibility.
A high department official
described the new policy as: Not
a chart of empire building. 1t
is a shifting of responsibility to
the State and local communi-
ties to take a greater share of
the burden"
The policy is the first declara-
ton labelled as such since the
late Interior Secretary Harold
L. Ickes issued memorandum
on power policy on January 3,
1916.
In its emphasis on putting re-
sponsibility for supply of power
in an area on the people of that
area, the new declaration re-
verses the old policy.
Mr.. 1ckes' memorandum called
for the department to extend
active assistance in organizing
public agencies and co-operatives
for distribution of power and
said statutory objectives are not
attained by merely waiting for
a preferred customer to come
forward and offer to purchase
the power"
In Line With Idaho Case.
The provision that certain de-
velopments by private enterprise
will not be opposed makes de-
partmental policy of the course
which was followed earlier in
the year when Secretary Mckay
withdrew Intervention in the
controversial Hells Canyon case.
Mr.. Mckay terminated six years
of departmental opposition to
the plans of the Idaho Power
Co. for development at Hells
Canyon which would block a
Federal project proposed by his
Democratic predecessor, Oscar
Chapman.
The department said it will
actively plan and recommend
construction of generating fa-
cilities in hydro projects under
its Jurisdiction when such ia
cilities are economically justified
and feasible" 1t added it would
particularly emphasize large
multipurpose projects.
The new policy also calls for
Government construction of
economically feasible and neces-
sary transmission lines between
Federal power plants and to
carry power ito load centerS
within economic transmission
distances unless other public or
private agencies have or will
provide the necessary facilities
upon reasonable terms"
IckeS' Stand COntraSted.
This contrasts with the Ickes
declaration that transmission
outlets must be owned and
controlled by the Government
unless privately owned facilities
should be made available upon
terms which assure full accom-
plishment of the basic objectives
of the congressional power policy
and which do not reward the
private company simply because
of its strategic location or mo-
nopolstic position"
(II s1I ri