A Study Of The Storm King Controversy In The United States(1962-1980)

In 1960 s and 1970 s,environmentalists and energy developers launched a fierce controversy about the proposed pumped storage plant of Con Edison on Storm King Mountain(N.Y.),which known as the Storm King Controversy.The site of this project——Storm King Mountain,is located in the Hudson River valley.The natural environment of the Hudson River valley contains.The two sides of the controversy debated in court and congressional hearings,focusing on natural landscape and fish ecology.Among them,the environmentalists,represented by environmental groups,such as Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference and Hudson River Fishermen’s Association,paid attention to the non-economic value of the natural environment of the Hudson River Valley,devote themselves to protecting the natural environment of the valley;the energy developers,represented by power companies such as Con Edison and some local urban residents,value the economic benefits brought by the power development and support the construction of hydro-power project.After more than ten years of arduous struggle,the Storm King Controversy finally ended with the signing of a reconciliation agreement——the Hudson River Peace Treaty.The the Storm King Controversy is a microcosm of the contest between energy development and natural conservation in the process of American economic development in the 1960 s and 1970 s.It reflects the efforts of the American society——especially people in the Hudson River Valley——to find a balance in the contest between energy development and nature conservation.