Assessing the potential environmental impacts of proposed rules affecting future electric power generation in the United States.

摘要

In 1988, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) began development of two rules with the potential to affect future electric power generation in the United States: one would prescribe minimum conditions under which competitive bidding may be used to establish rates for purchasing electrical power, and the other would reduce FERC regulations that interfere with the ability of independent power producers to produce and sell power. These rules, which would be issued simultaneously, could alter the fuel mix that supplies future electrical generating capacity projected by the utilities, which in turn could affect environmental impacts of producing electric power. The rules must be issued in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This report has been prepared to evaluate the potential for environmental effects from future changes in fuel mix that could result from issuing the rules, and thus, in accordance with NEPA, to help the FERC determine if the rules would result in significant impacts on the human environment. Based on the results of this work, the FERC prepared and issued draft and final environmental impact statements (EISs) in 1988 while formally proposing the rules. As of December 1989, the rules had not yet been finalized. 19 refs., 7 figs., 13 tabs.