William O. Douglas

“ It granted the Commission authority, among other things, to direct a public utility to establish physical connection of its transmission facilities with the facilities of other persons engaged in the transmission or sale of electric energy. § 202 (b) . Since that power was not extended to the United States, the court concluded that a license under Part I of the Act could not be conditioned on an interconnection with federal power. ”

“ Under these sections the Commission is plainly made the guardian of the public domain. The requirement that existing lines be fully utilized before additional lines are authorized would seem to be relevant to a decision under § 10 (a) that the project submitted was consonant with the 'comprehensive plan' for the waterway. And the Commission might well determine under § 4 (g) that if public lands are to be used for the transmission of power, conservation of the 'water-power resources of the region' require that public power as well as private power be transmitted over them. ”

“ These lines for most of their length crossed lands of the United States and joined the company's interconnected primary transmission system.
The United States has power projects in this area; and the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration were contemplating the construction of a transmission line which would connect the same areas as respondent's proposed lines. Therefore the Federal Power Commission on the suggestion of the Secretary of the Interior authorized the project on conditions specified in paragraph (F) of the order. ”