One of the most important cases in environmental law involved the proposed construction in 1963 of a huge hydroelectric plant by Consolidated Edison on the shores of the Hudson River at the foot of Storm King Mountain. The plant was designed to generate electricity for New York City during its periods of peak demands. Objections to the planned construction were raised by the Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference, which claimed that the plant would seriously damage the area's natural beauty. After nearly a decade of hearings and court cases, Consolidated Edison received permission to build the plant. In the process, however, the right of citizen groups to argue the value of aesthetic considerations in such cases was affirmed.

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Electric Utilities