65 



Testimony of the State of Washington 



before the 



Bonneville Power Administration Task Force 



Committee on Natural Resources 



United States House of Representatives 



Eugene, Oregon 



September 25, 1993 



Good morning. My name is Judith Merchant, and I am Director of the Washington State Energy 

 Office. I am pleased to have this opportunity to present the views of the executive agencies of 

 the state of Washington on the issues addressed by this hearing. The specific questions asiced by 

 the Committee foreshadow broad issues about the future of the Bonneville Power Administration 

 (BPA), the fate of the 1980 Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act 

 (PL96-501) (Power Act), and the economic, social, and environmental values embodied in that 

 legislation. 



In examining the range of issues before us, from rate restructuring to BPA's competitiveness 

 project, we have asked ourselves a relatively simple question: which of these approaches are 

 most consistent with our need for fairly priced, reliable, equitably distributed, environmentally 

 sound power? Out of that question, we have reached five basic conclusions: 



• First, we strongly support the principles of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning 

 and Conservation Act calling for cost-effective energy conservation and renewable resource 

 development; a comprehensive and open process of power and fish and wildlife planning; 

 coordinated electricity resource acquisition by BPA; and investments by BPA to achieve the 

 objectives of the fish and wildlife plan. 



aR2-02W 



