Integrating environmental concerns into planning to meet electric demand

President Bush released the United States National Energy Strategy (NES) in February 1991. The keystone of the strategy is to continue the successful policy of allowing markets to determine energy prices, quantities and technology choices. In the area of increasing energy and economic efficiency, initiatives are established for electricity generation and use. The NES also establishes goals and approaches in the area of future energy supplies (for coal, nuclear power and renewable energy resources) and determines methods to enhance environmental quality (e.g. air quality, waste management, water and land use issues and global environmental issues). The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is used as a case study in the paper. Every two years, the BPA prepares a Resource Program that communicates how it proposes to meet its obligations to serve the power requirements of its customers. Because the BPA is a Federal agency, the National Environmental Policy Act process is fully integrated into the overall resource planning process. The BPA is preparing a Resource Program Environmental Impact Statement, covering 10-15 years of resource planning, to ensure that it will be able to meet its load demands in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner. The BPA's resource planning process can be used as a model to ensure that environmental protection values are fully considered in planning directed towards meeting electricity demand. 6 refs