HomeMy WebLinkAbout3924_CCv0001.pdf RESOLUTION NO. 3924
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDLANDS
SUPPORTING RELICENSING OF HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS TO THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY (FERC PROJECT NOS .
1388 AND 1389)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDLANDS DOES RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS :
WHEREAS, hydroelectric projects, owned and operated by Southern
California Edison Company (SCE) , have utilized and developed our
nation's natural resources, spreading the benefits of this low-cost
electricity to millions of Californians. These customers, including
the citizens of the City of Redlands now face the possibility, how-
ever, that the hydroelectric projects which they helped develop and
pay for may be taken away by municipal agencies. From the standpoint
of the broad public interest, it is preferable for as many people as
possible to continue to share the benefits of inexpensive hydro-
electric power.
WHEREAS , SCE has over the past century developed a safe, reliable ,
and economic system of hydroelectric generating facilities dedicated
to the use and benefit of more than three million customers repre-
senting an area population of over 9 million people; and
WHEREAS, certain of these hydroelectric facilities, consisting
of projects licensed by the Federal Power Commission, now known as
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) , are subject to con-
sideration for relicensing by FERC; and
WHEREAS, certain municipal entities are endeavoring to secure
for themselves two SCE hydroelectric powerplants, which efforts, if
successful, would result in the transfer of ownership and operation
of these hydroelectric facilities from SCE, and would divert low cost
power away from millions of central and southern California customers
for the benefit of a few thousand served by the municipal entities;
and
WHEREAS, it would be directly contrary both to the best interest
of the City of Redlands and to the best interest of the millions of
other residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial customers
served by SCE whose rates have supported the ownership and operation
of these hydroelectric facilities, were FERC to remove .from the hydro-
electric generating systems of SCE the following facilities:
1 . SCE Rush Creek Project (Project No. 1389) , which is
located near June Lake on the Eastern slope of the
Sierra Nevada about sixty miles north of Bishop, CA.
2. SCE Poole Project (Project No. 1388) , which is
located on Lee Vining Creek also north of Bishop; and
WHEREAS, if any of these projects were to be transferred to
the municipal entities seeking them, the customers served by SCE
would be forced to pay, every year, increased power costs for
electricity from oil or gas fired generating facilities; and
WHEREAS, the continued ownership, operation, and improvement
of their hydroelectric generating facilities by SCE is essential
to the public interest and to the social and economic well-being
of central and southern California consumers ; and
WHEREAS, retention of these projects by their current owners
is the only course consistent with the fullest improvement and
utilization of these resources in the public interest;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the
City of Redlands hereby urges and requests that The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission relicense these hydroelectric facilities to
SCE and to reject the applications of the municipal agencies seeking
to take the benefits of projects away from the millions of customers
served by SCE; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Redlands hereby requests
that all hearings concerning hydroelectric relicensing applications
by SCE be conducted in the service territory where the projects are
located and where the public they were built to serve lives and works;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be provided
to:
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The California Public Utilities Commission
Congressman Jerry Lewis
Assemblyman William R. Leonard
The Southern California Edison Company
ADOPTED, SIGNED AND APPROVED this 18�h day of October 1983.
ATTEST: Mayor of the City of Redlands
C ' ) 1�11'2.
Clerk,�70
Resolution No. 3924
Page 2
JERRY LEWIS WASHINGTON OFFICE:-
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FOREIGN OPERATIONS 7 74-792-5901
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
(RANKING MINORITY MEMQERI ashingtCH7 B.C. 2053 BARSTOW,CALIFORNIA 82371
�jj1�. 'r 913-266-1623
December 20, 1983
Ms. Lorrie Poyzer
City Clerk
City of Redlands
Post Office Box 280
Redlands, California 92373
Dear Ms. Poyzer:
Thank you for contacting my office to express support for the
relicensing of hydra-electric generating facilities belonging to
Southern California Edison or Pacific Gas and Electric Companies. I
appreciate learning of your interest in this timely issue.
You will be pleased to know that on November 16, I joined
Congressman Shelby and 43 of my colleagues in introducing a bill, H.R.
4402, to clarify the procedures under which the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) conducts relicensing proceedings for
hydro-electric plants. This clarification of the Federal Power Act is
necessary because of recent conflicting FERC and court rulings
involving the issue of whether a municipal preference applies when
FERC relicenses hydro-power facilities. This bill should not be
viewed as changing existing law, but clarifying and affirming the law
and Congress ' original and consistently held intent concerning
relicensing. This legislation clarifying relicensing procedures not
only benefits electric consumers in California; it is important to
consumers throughout our country. Because I believe this bill is in
the best interest of all consumers, I am particularly glad it has been
named the "Electric Consumers Protection Act of 19$3. "
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. I hope you will
continue to contact me on other subjects of mutual interest or concern.
"ncerely,
I
(� ewis
"1c n r of Congress
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