• U.S.

UTILITIES: Public-Power Policy

1 minute read
TIME

In Boston last week, Interior Secretary Douglas McKay clearly outlined the Administration’s policy on public power. To a meeting of the American Public Power Association, which had just adopted a resolution deploring his decision in favor of private development of Idaho’s Snake

River (TIME, May 18), McKay said: “What the people want in that area now is power to relieve a real shortage . . . At a time like this, when the federal budget is in its present state, what would you do if you were in Congress? . . . Would you stand in the way?

“Public power is here and it is going to stay. I don’t agree with some people who say the Government should get out of the power business. It would be a grave policy error to support that type of program . . . We will continue, within the limits that the national budget will permit, with construction of such projects as are economically feasible and fall within the proper category of federal projects. [But] we will encourage to the utmost extent possible the construction and management of facilities by the states, municipalities, public agencies and private enterprise.”

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com