(December 20, 2001) A U.S. Department of Energy report notes that while China is planning or constructing many new large-scale dams, ‘America no longer builds the hydroelectric dams championed by FDR.’

(Excerpt)

Washington: Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its highly anticipated study of the economic and national security implications of the Chinese energy demand, as requested by House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The report, prepared with the Central Intelligence Agency and the Departments of Defense, Treasury, State and Homeland Security, found that China’s incredible 9 percent annual economic growth rate was led by an energy demand that could seriously affect U.S. foreign policy and economic progress. The study also revealed that China is taking bold aggressive steps to increase and diversify its domestic energy resources while pursuing energy deals with countries around the world, including rogue regimes. … [The report also noted that] China is planning or constructing many new, large scale hydroelectric projects over the forecast period, including the 18.2-gigawatt Three Gorges Dam project, which is scheduled to be operational by 2009, [while] America no longer builds the hydroelectric dams championed by FDR [and] groups in the U.S. call for removing the dams we have.

December 20, 2001