OREG. AND WASH. HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS SEVENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H. R. 7642 A BILL TO AUTHORIZE COMPLETION, MAINTENANCE (IN THE FORMULATION OF THIS MEASURE THE FOL- COLUMBIA RIVER (BONNEVILLE DAM), OREG. AND WASH. TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1937 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Joseph J. Mansfield (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. The hearing this morning is on H. R. 4948, a bill introduced by Mr. Smith of Washington, to authorize the maintenance and operation of the Bonneville project for navigation and flood control, and for other purposes. (The bill, H. R. 4948, is as follows:) [H. R. 4948, 75th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To authorize the maintenance and operation of Booneville project for navigation and flood control, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for the purposes of maintaining and operating properties now owned by the United States in the vicinity of Bonneville, Oregon, and North Bonneville, Washington (hereinafter called Bonneville project), in the interest of the improvement of navigation on the Columbia River, the control of flood waters, the national defense, and other purposes, such properties, subject to the completion of the construction of the dam, locks, power plant, and appurtenant works by the Secretary of War and the continued operation of the locks by the Secretary of War, shall be administered by the Columbia River Administrator, as hereinafter provided. The Columbia River Administrator (hereinafter called the Administrator) shall be appointed by and be responsible to the Secretary of the Interior, shall receive a salary at the rate of $10,000 per year, and shall maintain his principal office at a place selected by him in the vicinity of Bonneville project. The Administrator shall act in consultation with an advisory board composed of a representative designated by the Secretary of War, a representative designated by the Secretary of the Interior, and a representative designated by the Federal Power Commission. The form of administration herein established for Booneville project is intended to be provisional pending the establishment of permanent administration for Bonneville and other projects in the Columbia River Basin. SEC. 2. (a) The Administrator is authorized to operate, maintain, and improve Bonneville project and related facilities and properties, and is directed to carry out such operation, maintenance, and improvement primarily for the purposes of promoting navigation and controlling floods. So far as may be consistent with such purposes, and to effect such purposes with the greatest possible public benefit and to avoid the waste of water power, the Administrator shall provide, construct, operate, maintain, and improvement at Bonneville project such machinery, equipment, and facilities for the generation of electric energy as may be necessary to develop salable electric energy as rapidly as markets may be found therefor. And the Administrator shall, as hereinafter provided, make all necessary or appropriate arrangements for the disposition of electric energy generated at Bonneville project not required for the operation of the dam and locks at such project and the navigation facilities employed in connection therewith. |