18 



9 



the salmon. The Northwest Power Planning Council has had the authority for 13 

 years to provide a salmon recovery plan that the federal agencies must follow. The 

 main problem has been that until recently the council has been reluctant to assert its 

 authority. 



Since the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation are owners of the 

 water projects in the basin, and the Corps in particular has shown in the past to be 

 non-responsive if not recalcitrant to Power Council salmon protection actions, clearer 

 council authority over these agencies is necessary. 



Idaho believes Congressional interest in the inner workings of the Bonneville 

 Power Administration has created a new atmosphere that will command greater 

 accountability of an organization that for too long has negligently met only part of its 

 charter. Bonneville needs to become part of the solution, not remain part of the 

 problem. 



—the end— 



