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Reviving The Federal Power Act's Comprehensive Plan Requirement: A History Of Neglect And Prospects For The Future, Daniel H. Cole

Articles by Maurer Faculty

In 1920, Congress enacted the Federal Power Act (FPA) to secure inexpensive and widely available power through federal licensing of private hydroelectric development in accordance with a "comprehensive plan." The Federal Power Commission (FPC) was charged with administering the statute and undertook its planning obligations with diligence, preparing plans for at least two river basins. However, chronic manpower and resource deficiencies soon led the FPC to neglect Congress' planning directive. No comprehensive plans have been produced since 1930, either by the FPC or its successor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This failure to plan, combined with the avalanche of …