"Today we are holding an oversight hearing on the implementation provisions of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, which is commonly known as PURPA. Specifically, the two provisions are sections 201 and 210, which relate to cogeneration and small power production. PURPA is one of five separate statutes that comprise the National Energy Act, which was enacted in 1978 in response to what was widely viewed as a national energy crisis that had persisted in various degrees since 1973. A fundamental purpose of PURPA was to encourage the development of cogeneration and small power production, thereby reducing our Nation's dependence on imported crude oil, increasing our reliance on alternative energy sources, and improving the efficiency of our energy consumption and electric power production"--Page 1.