The Legislative Assembly finds that many hydroelectric projects within the state hold water rights for hydroelectric purposes for a limited time period, and that those water rights will expire. State law does not currently prescribe a means for reauthorizing the use of water for hydroelectric purposes. Therefore, the Sixty-eighth Legislative Assembly created a hydroelectric task force to recommend a process and standards for a coordinated state review of existing facilities. The hydroelectric task force was composed of representatives of interested state agencies, investor-owned utilities, publicly owned utilities, municipalities, environmental organizations, agricultural organizations and nonutility owners of hydroelectric projects. In its report to the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly, the hydroelectric task force included legislative recommendations that served as the foundation for the provisions of this chapter and ORS § 468.065, 468B.040, 468B.045, 468B.046, 536.015, 536.050, 543.012 and 543.710. [1997 c.449 § 2]

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