An ardent preservationist, Simpson (Visions of Paradise: Glimpses of Our Landscape's Legacy
) argues for the restoration of Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley. Although the valley is in a national park, in 1913 Congress passed the Raker Act, authorizing the construction of a dam and reservoir on the Tuolumne River, flooding the Hetch Hetchy. The dam was built, despite opposition by John Muir and other environmentalists, to deliver water, and later electricity, to San Francisco, but Simpson says that other, less destructive options were available. In addition to relating this history, Simpson, a professor of landscape architecture and natural resources at Ohio State, examines how the Raker Act has been consistently undermined. Through the machinations of corrupt politicians, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a private corporation, in violation of the Raker Act's call for a public power authority, has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on providing electrical power to San Francisco that is costly to consumers. Simpson's research is exemplary, and he deftly explores this case study of the nexus of politics, business and the environment. And he's lyrical when recounting his trips to Yosemite and describing the transformative beauty of the wilderness area. (July 12)
