HomeMy WebLinkAbout83-197 - ResolutionsRESOLUTION NO. 83-197
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF RELICENSING OF
HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON
COMPANY (FERC PROJECT NOS. 1388 & 1389)
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, now face the possibility, however, 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 hydroelectric 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 representing 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 consideration 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 Raneho Cucamonga 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 hydroelectric 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, California.
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 Raneho Cueamonga City
Council hereby urges and requests that The Federal Energy Regulatory
Resolution No. 83-197
Page 2
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 Raneho Cucamonga City Council 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 the Rancho Cucamonga City Council
supports proposed legislation to amend the Federal Power Act so as to not
allow municipal preference treatment during the relieensing of hydroelectric
facilities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be provided
to:
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
The California Public Utilities Commission,
Appropriate members of the United States Congress,
Appropriate members of the California Legislature, and
The Southern California Edison Company.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 16th day of November, 1983.
AYES:
Dahl, Buquet, Schlosser, Mikels
NOES: None
ABSENT: Frost
ATTEST:
Lauren M. Wasserman, City Clerk