With the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Idaho Power Co.'s private three-dam plan (TIME, April 15), the bitter battle over Hells Canyon seemed over at last. But last week the fight flared anew after the Office of Defense Mobilization granted Idaho Power a fast tax write-off on 65% of the cost of its $67.1 million Brownlee dam and on 60% of its $35.9 million Oxbow dam. In effect the write-off gives Idaho Power an interest-free loan of about $30 million for five years.
"An utterly indefensible act," cried Virginia's conservative Democrat Harry F. Byrd, whose Finance Committee quickly...
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