Many hydroelectric power plants in the U.S. were developed around 50 years ago. Their licenses are now up for renewal. Current regulations require that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

shall give equal consideration to the purposes of energy conservation, the protection, mitigation of damage to, and enhancement of, fish and wildlife (including related spawning grounds and habitat), the protection of recreational opportunities, and the preservation of other aspects of environmental quality.

This requirement involves balancing power and non-power values of the resource, which happens to be the primary goal of Resource Decisions.

Resource Decisions has worked with both utilities (such as PG&E, and Idaho Power) and non-power interest groups (such as the City of Rockingham NC and the Smith Lake Improvement and Stakeholders Association -SLISA) to assist in striking the optimal balance between power and non-power values.