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market, BPA's ability to reflect environmental issues in its decisions 

 depends on the values of its customers and the standards placed on our 

 customers by legislation and regulation. If customers value those 

 investments, they will be willing to pay for them. If they do not, they will 

 seek alternatives to BPA service. Such alternatives are increasingly 

 available as the industry moves toward decentralized resource approaches 

 and transmission access is provided pursuant to the National Energy 

 Policy Act of 1992. 



A competitive, decentralized business relationship does offer unique 

 opportunities in addressing environmental issues. The current system 

 addresses environmental values on a region-wide basis and finds a common 

 ground for compromise between communities that wish to invest for the 

 future with a long term perspective and communities whose economies are 

 struggling to survive in a competitive, global economy and whose focus is 

 more short-term. A decentralized system would allow environmental 

 values to be expressed at the community level. Local communities would 

 make their investment decisions based on their environmental values and 

 their ability to make long term investment decisions. Those communities 

 able to make long term investment decisions consistent with their 

 environmental values would not be limited by a region-wide standard. 



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