8 



science and the perceived need for immediate dramatic and drastic 

 action to do something to save the salmon regardless of the results. 



Mr. Chairman, this week I am joining with my colleagues from 

 the effected States — Senator Craig of Idaho, Senator Grorton of 

 Washington, Senator Packwood of Oregon, and Senator 

 Kempthorne of Idaho — calling upon the Secretary of Commerce, 

 Ron Brown, to require the National Marine Fisheries Service to 

 provide adequate, technically defensible justification for any addi- 

 tional fiow requests from the Snake and the Columbia River Ba- 

 sins. We believe that the National Marine Fisheries Service cannot 

 provide this justification — and then request for additional flows 

 should not be made. 



So, I am submitting my prepared statement along with this let- 

 ter for the Secretary in this record. 



[The prepared statement of Senator Bums and the letter follow:] 



Prepared Statement of Senator Burns 



Mr. Chairman I would like to express my strong concerns with the problems re- 

 sulting from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) salmon recovery efforts 

 and their tremendous impact on my state and other states in the Northwest. I be- 

 lieve that these concerns are related to our efTorts to increase salmon populations 

 in international waters. 



In May of this year, NMFS overruled agency biologists and ordered the Corps of 

 Engineers to spill huge volumes of water over dams in the Columbia and Snake 

 River basins to flush endangered juvenile salmon to the sea. This controversial gam- 

 bit has cost ratepayers tens of millions of dollars in higher electricity costs. Most 

 scientists agree tnat it will result in negligible additional numbers of adult salmon 

 reaching the spawning grounds. At worst, this expensive experiment may actually 

 reduce salmon numbers. There is strong evidence that the spills are resulting in 

 higher death losses for juvenile fish. 



Direct costs of this action have been estimated to be more than $1 million for each 

 adult salmon that will return to the spawning grounds. Although the Administra- 

 tion recently agreed to share some of these costs oy repaying them from the Federal 

 Treasury, this action will not compensate Montana homeowners near Libby and 

 Hungry Horse Reservoirs who now have a vast, dry mudflat where water usually 

 is. Payments from the Treasury won't compensate weekend recreationists who don t 

 have enough water to launch their boats. They won't compensate for the dust that 

 fills the air for miles and miles when the wind blows. Payments won't compensate 

 for the lost jobs directly or indirectly dependent upon the water that has been 

 drained from our state for very questionable results. 



Payments from the Treasury also won't compensate Montana for the problems 

 that the spill has caused for our own efforts to protect fish populations in our own 

 state — fish including the bull trout — a species that has been considered for listing 

 as threatened or endangered. Through the emergency spills, the federal government 

 has robbed Montana of our most important tool for protecting our own fish — our 

 water. 



Mr. Chairman, I believe that this action by NMFS is a national disgrace. It has 

 resulted in tremendous costs to ratepayers, farmers, recreationists, sportsmen, fish 

 and wildlife. As a result of the Administration's recent agreement to offset these di- 

 rect costs from the U.S. Treasury, costs to American taxpayers may be in the range 

 of $30 million. Citizens of the northwestern states and the U.S. taxpayers have 

 every right for adequate, technically defensible justification for this drastic action. 



This justification has not been provided by NMF'S. There has been little consulta- 

 tion with other river interests. There were few efforts to provide public involvement 

 or coordination with Congress or existing salmon recovery programs. Worst of all, 

 there has been no time for scientific review or biological analysis. Scientific equip- 

 ment to gather data on the results of this multi-million dollar experiment were not 

 even in place. 



The emergency spill action ordered by NMFS is not based on science. It is based 

 upon POLITICAL SCIENCE and the perceived need for immediate, dramatic and 

 drastic action to do something to save salmon — regardless of the results Mr. Chair- 

 man, this week am joining with some of my colleagues from the affected states in 

 calling upon Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown to require NMFS to provide ade- 



