Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 3.djvu/78

 94 STAT. 2722

Investigations.

PUBLIC LAW 96-501—DEC. 5, 1980

(2) insure that the costs of any acquisition are as low as reasonably possible, consistent (A) with sound engineering, operating, and safety practices, and (B) the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife, including related spawning grounds and habitat affected by the development of such resources, and (3) insure that the Administrator exercises effective oversight, inspection, audit, and review of all aspects of such construction and operation. Such contracts shall contain provisions assuring that the Administrator has the authority to approve all costs of, and proposals for, major modifications in construction, scheduling or operations and to assure that the Administrator is provided with such current information as he deems necessary to evaluate such construction and operation. (j)(l) All contractual and other obligations required to be carried out by the Administrator pursuant to this Act shall be secured solely by the Administrator's revenues received from the sale of electric power and other services. Such obligations are not, nor shall they be construed to be, general obligations of the United States, nor are such obligations intended to be or are they secured by the full faith and credit of the United States. (2) All contracts entered into by the Administrator for the acquisition of resources pursuant to this Act shall require that, in the sale of any obligations, all offerings and promotional material for the sale of such obligations shall include the language contained in the second sentence of paragraph (1) of this subsection. The Administrator shall monitor and enforce such requirement. (k) In the exercise of his authorities pursuant to this section, the Administrator shall, consistent with the provisions of this Act and the Administrator's obligations to particular customer classes, insure that benefits under this section, including financial and technical assistance, conduct of conservation demonstrations, and experimental projects, services, and billing credits, are distributed equitably throughout the region. (1)(1) The Administrator is authorized and directed to investigate opportunities for adding to the region's resources or reducing the region's power costs through the accelerated or cooperative development of resources located outside the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington if such resources are renewable resources, and are now or in the future planned or considered for eventual development by nonregional agencies or authorities that will or would own, sponsor, or otherwise develop them. The Administrator shall keep the Council fully and currently informed of such investigations, and seek the Council's advice as to the desirability of pursuing such investigations. (2) The Administrator is authorized and directed to investigate periodically opportunities for mutually beneficial interregional exchanges of electric power that reduce the need for additional generation or generating capacity in the Pacific Northwest and the regions with which such exchanges may occur. The Council shall take into consideration in formulating a plan such investigations. (3) After the Administrator submits a report to Congress pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection, the Administrator is authorized to acquire resources consistent with such investigations and consistent with the plan or, if no plan is in effect, with the priorities of section 4(e)(l) and the considerations of section 4(e)(2). Such acquisitions shall be in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

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