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the expense of the Endangered Species Act. The salmon listings pose extraordinaiy 

 challenges for all of us, and we must employ extraordinaiy measures in response. 



Meanwhile, river operators and the Council are discussing opportimities to provide 

 more involvement in annual river operation decisions. The Council's program has 

 opened this decision-making to a degree through the Fish Operations Executive 

 Committee, but those discussions focus on fish needs. A broader public review should 

 encompass all river uses, including recreation, irrigation, navigation and flood control. 



Changing the Northwest Power Planning Council 



In response to Question 3, 1 briefly discussed the Council's authority under the 

 Northwest Power Act. In those areas where the Council has authority, we expect the fish 

 and wildlife program to be implemented by the appropriate agencies. In those areas 

 where the Council lacks explicit authority, the program is a strong recommendation. The 

 Council urges implementation of all measures on the grounds they make sense and could 

 forestall more stringent measures that could be imposed from outside the region. 



We believe the Council provides for a balanced regional role in decision-making 

 about salmon recovery measures. In this regard, our relationship with Bonneville and the 

 other federal agencies is best characterized as a creative tension. Bonneville, as a federal 

 power marketing agency, is naturally concerned by measures to improve salmon survival 

 that have impacts on the hydropower system. The Council, however, has a broader view, 

 addressing ab impacts on salmon survival at every stage of the life cycle and recognizing 

 that dams are the greatest source of salmon mortality. At the same time, the Act 

 mandates us to strike a balance between the needs of fish and the needs of hydropower. 

 Specifically, the Act mandates that we include in our program measures that protect, 

 mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife while assuring the region of an adequate, efficient, 

 economical and reliable power supply, and we have done that. 



In investigating the question of whether the Council's authority should be expanded or 

 contracted. Congress should pay particular attention to how well the federal agencies 

 respond to our electric power plan and fish and wildlife program. At the very least, it 

 would be appropriate to strengthen Congressional oversight of implementation of the 

 Council's fish and wildlife program. This would help ensure that the relevant federal 

 agencies are fulfilling their obligations under the Northwest Power Act. Some in the 

 region have suggested that the Council's planning role should be expanded to include 

 setting policy for river operations. 



As for Bonneville, the Act says the Administrator shall exercise his responsibilities in 

 a manner consistent with the Council's fish and wildlife program and the purposes of the 

 Act. Bonneville and other federal agencies responsible for managing, operating or 



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