ORS 543A.010 Findings

The Legislative Assembly finds that many hydroelectric projects within the state hold water rights for hydroelectric purposes for a limited time period, and that those water rights will expire. State law does not currently prescribe a means for reauthorizing the use of water for hydroelectric purposes. Therefore, the Sixty-eighth Legislative Assembly created a hydroelectric task force to recommend a process and standards for a coordinated state review of existing facilities. The hydroelectric task force was composed of representatives of interested state agencies, investor-owned utilities, publicly owned utilities, municipalities, environmental organizations, agricultural organizations and nonutility owners of hydroelectric projects. In its report to the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly, the hydroelectric task force included legislative recommendations that served as the foundation for the provisions of this chapter and ORS 468.065, 468B.040, 468B.045, 468B.046, 536.015, 536.050, 543.012 and 543.710.