398 



Page 5 

 Testimony 



decisions which may be brought by disappointed resource 

 proposers . 



What Bonneville needs to know is how much new output is 

 required to meet Bonneville's contract demand under the existing 

 and new contracts. Bonneville also needs to be given more 

 ability to act quickly and efficiently in making its choices. 

 For example, the procedures which determine whether Bonneville 

 can acquire the output from a proposed resource without 

 destroying the utility-sponsor's ability to finance the 

 construction of the resource with tax exempt bonds should be 

 streamlined. 



Most importantly, it may be necessary for this Committee to 

 examine what could be done to protect Bonneville from litigation 

 concerning the choices Bonneville makes among various new 

 resource proposals. I recognize that this is a complex subject 

 but, again, we feel that most of the inefficiencies attendant to 

 the Bonneville resource acquisition process are the result of 

 Bonneville's efforts to protect the agency from lawsuits which 

 may result from any Bonneville choice. 



In conclusion, Bonneville, a single purpose Federal Agency, 

 has been put in a multi purpose management role competing with 

 single purpose generating entities. BPA has been saddled with 

 goals not effectively planned and in many ways in conflict with 

 other Federal agencies. BPA has been considered a focal point 

 for activities such as fish and wildlife, a water management role 

 that conflicts with other agencies with multi purpose roles in 

 water management and in resource development that has always been 

 exempted from BPA by law. BPA has been and should continue to 

 purchase output from resources that provide efficient, cost 

 effective power supply, but the development of resources, 

 including conservation should be left with others. 



All of these challenges are hindered by a political process 

 set up by the Regional Act of 1980. Let's get other political 

 issues out of our life blood - electric energy - and get control 

 of this resource back in the hands of the people who will pay for 

 and benefit from this energy. 



Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. The PUD is 

 willing to provide any further information that might be helpful 

 to the Committee. I would appreciate your acceptance of a 

 somewhat expanded version of the text of my remarks as the 

 written testimony of the PUD. 



