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I <br /> I <br /> I <br /> I <br /> I <br /> I <br /> I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />In 1981 the City of Anoka discovered, while studying the hydroelectric feasibility <br />of its own dam on the Rum River, that any municipality, according to Federal <br />Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Regulations, could apply for a permit on any <br />dam site to study the feasibility of hydroelectric generation. At that time the <br /> <br />City decided to submit a permit application for the Coon Rapids Dam. That application <br />was filed on March 18,1981, with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The <br />initial application was rejected because of two minor technicalities. First, the <br /> <br />City didn't include the words "competing application" on the application, and <br />second, the City didn't provide a short statement explaining why we were better <br />equipped to operate the dam. A revised competing application for the preliminary <br />permit was filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on April 24, 1981. <br /> <br />The City of Anoka has been in the electric utility business since 1909. Presently <br />the utility has over 7500 customers in Anoka and Hennepin Counties, serving the <br />Cities of Ramsey, Coon Rapids, Champlin, Dayton, and Anoka. The utility has 68 <br />customers in the City of Ramsey. <br /> <br />The intention of the City of Anoka and its electric utility is tQ study the feasib- <br />ility of developing this hydroelectric facility to stabilize electric rates for <br />our customers. Anoka has no desire or intent to infringe on the integrity of the <br />park. The City's desire is to operate the hydroelectric portion of the dam if it <br />proves to be feasible, and of course the Hennepin County Park Reserve District ,~ <br />would continue operating their park andthe recreational facilities associated ~ .... <br />with the dam, as they have done previously. Assumptions to the contrary made by <br />the Hennepin County Park Reserve District are erroneous. The City of Anoka main- <br />tains one of the largest and most diversified park systems for a city of its size <br />and we have no desire to operate more parks or interfere with anyone else's park <br />operation. The City of Anoka maintains 776 acres of park land of which over 400 <br />acres are fully developed for various activities. In addition, the City is <br /> <br /> <br />