Federal Power Commission
Encyclopedia
The Federal Power Commission (FPC) was an independent commission
of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president
and confirmed by the Senate
. The FPC was originally created in 1920 by the Federal Water Power Act
, which provided for the licensing by the FPC of hydroelectric projects on the land or navigable water owned by the federal government. The FPC has since been replaced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
.
The FPC also regulated interstate electric utilities and the natural gas
industry.
In June 1939, President Roosevelt appointed Leland Olds
to the FPC, who served as chairman from January 1940 until 1949. Under Olds’ leadership, the FPC successfully pressured electric utilities to extend power into neglected rural areas and to lower electricity rates to increase use.
Olds’ insistence on enforcing the Natural Gas Act of 1938 raised the ire of the oil industry in Texas and led to the end of his tenure at the FPC. Robert Caro
’s book Master of the Senate describes how Lyndon B. Johnson
defeated Leland's re-appointment by orchestrating a McCarthyism
style smear campaign. The tactics involved having the staff of the House Un-American Activities Committee
dig up old writings, which were then taken out of context to falsely paint Leland as a communist
. The subcommittee in charge of reappointment was stacked against Leland and coached by Johnson.
James G. Watt
was another prominent FPC commissioner, who conducted prayer meetings prior to the FPC sessions.
, Interior
, and Agriculture
. The first "Chairman" in that sense was Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker
. Before 1930, five Secretaries of War, five Secretaries of the Interior, and five Secretaries of Agriculture held title at the FPC.
Following the 1930 reforms, FPC had its own commissioners, with the following commissioners holding the title of Chairman of the Federal Power Commission:
.
Independent agencies of the United States government
Independent agencies of the United States federal government are those agencies that exist outside of the federal executive departments...
of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and confirmed by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. The FPC was originally created in 1920 by the Federal Water Power Act
Federal Power Act
The Federal Power Act is a law appearing in Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the United States Code, entitled "Federal Regulation and Development of Power". Enacted as the Federal Water Power Act on June 10, 1920, and amended many times since, its original purpose was to more effectively coordinate the...
, which provided for the licensing by the FPC of hydroelectric projects on the land or navigable water owned by the federal government. The FPC has since been replaced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the United States federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales, wholesale electric rates, hydroelectric licensing, natural gas pricing, and oil pipeline rates...
.
The FPC also regulated interstate electric utilities and the natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
industry.
In June 1939, President Roosevelt appointed Leland Olds
Leland Olds
Leland Olds was an American economist. Olds was interested in labor, development of public electric power, and ecology....
to the FPC, who served as chairman from January 1940 until 1949. Under Olds’ leadership, the FPC successfully pressured electric utilities to extend power into neglected rural areas and to lower electricity rates to increase use.
Olds’ insistence on enforcing the Natural Gas Act of 1938 raised the ire of the oil industry in Texas and led to the end of his tenure at the FPC. Robert Caro
Robert Caro
Robert Allan Caro is an American journalist and author known for his celebrated biographies of United States political figures Robert Moses and Lyndon B. Johnson...
’s book Master of the Senate describes how Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
defeated Leland's re-appointment by orchestrating a McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
style smear campaign. The tactics involved having the staff of the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
dig up old writings, which were then taken out of context to falsely paint Leland as a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. The subcommittee in charge of reappointment was stacked against Leland and coached by Johnson.
James G. Watt
James G. Watt
James Gaius Watt served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior for President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1983.-Early life and career:...
was another prominent FPC commissioner, who conducted prayer meetings prior to the FPC sessions.
Chairmen of FPC
From its founding in 1920 until its first reform in 1930, the FPC did not have its own commissioners; rather, it was chaired ex officio by the Secretaries of WarUnited States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
, and Agriculture
United States Secretary of Agriculture
The United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other...
. The first "Chairman" in that sense was Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker
Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:...
. Before 1930, five Secretaries of War, five Secretaries of the Interior, and five Secretaries of Agriculture held title at the FPC.
Following the 1930 reforms, FPC had its own commissioners, with the following commissioners holding the title of Chairman of the Federal Power Commission:
- George Otis SmithGeorge Otis SmithGeorge Otis Smith was an American geologist.-Life and career:Smith was born in Hodgdon, Maine. He graduated from Colby College in 1893 and earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1896. He served as director of United States Geological Survey from 1907 to 1922 and 1923 to 1930...
1930-1933 - Frank R. McNinchFrank R. McNinchFrank Ramsay McNinch was born in Charlotte, NC. He was a political figure who served as the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, as chairman of the Federal Power Commission, and as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. The controversial 1938 Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio...
1934-1937 - Clyde L. Seavey 1939
- Leland OldsLeland OldsLeland Olds was an American economist. Olds was interested in labor, development of public electric power, and ecology....
1939-1949 - Monrad WallgrenMonrad WallgrenMonrad Charles Wallgren , an American politician, served as the 13th Governor of Washington from 1945 to 1949, as well as representing that state in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate....
1950–1951 - Thomas C. Buchanan 1952
- Jerome Kuykendall 1953 -1961
- Joseph C. Swidler 1961
- Lee C. White 1966
- John Nassikas, 1969 to 1975
- Charles B. CurtisCharles B. CurtisCharles B. Curtis is an American lawyer, currently the President Emeritus and Board Member of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a non-profit organization working to reduce the threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons...
1977 (through renaming to FERC)
Relevant laws
- 46 Stat. 797
- 41 Stat. 1063
- 16 United States CodeUnited States CodeThe Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
791-823, the Federal Water Power Act
Dissolution
On October 1, 1977, the FPC was replaced by the Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the United States federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales, wholesale electric rates, hydroelectric licensing, natural gas pricing, and oil pipeline rates...
.