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harvest and hatchery issues. Moreover, the Council's process has 

 encouraged regional input into the fish and wildlife program. 

 Since its inception, the fish and wildlife program has been 

 ambitious in setting out measures for the Federal implementing 

 agencies. Accordingly, the Council's program has provided a 

 planning framework for efforts to protect, mitigate and enhance 

 fish and wildlife affected by the hydroelectric facilities on the 

 Columbia River and its tributaries. 



Notwithstanding, the Council's authority to oversee specific 

 implementation measures is limited. The fish and wildlife 

 program is implemented by the Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of 

 Reclamation, the Bonneville Power Administration and the Federal 

 Energy Regulatory Commission. These Federal operating and 

 regulating agencies are directed by Congress to exercise their 

 responsibilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the 

 Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 

 1980 and other applicable laws, to provide equitable treatment 

 for fish and wildlife. Non-Federal project operators, water and 

 land managers, fish and wildlife managers and resource users, 

 whose activities impact the salmon in their rearing and ocean 

 areas, can only be encouraged to implement program measures. 



Further, the Council and other regional entities need 

 additional scientific data upon which to formulate concrete 

 recovery measures. Obtaining sound scientific data on salmon 

 survival in this very complex ecosystem is extraordinarily 

 difficult, as indicated in the environmental impact statements 

 prepared for 1992 and 1993 hydrosystem operations under the ESA. 

 The Northwest region would be well served by additional 

 scientific information to address habitat, harvest and hatchery 

 practices. This would provide a comprehensive framework and a 

 reasonable basis for weighing the benefits to salmon of costly 

 and dramatic changes. 



The Council's fish and wildlife program is considered by 

 the Federal agencies as part of their responsibilities under the 

 Power Act. Since the Snake River salmon has been listed as an 

 endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, the Federal 

 agencies must also meet the requirements of that Act and consider 

 the Council's program in the context of that Act. To that end, 

 the Corps, the Bonneville Power Administration and the Bureau of 

 Reclamation prepared EISs to address actions in 1992 and 1993 and 

 beyond related to operations of the hydrosystem to meet ESA 

 requirements. The agencies also entered into an extensive ESA 

 consultation process with the National Marine Fisheries Service. 

 While Federal actions designed to assist in the recovery of the 

 listed species should also help other non-listed salmon species 

 (but not necessarily resident fish species or wildlife) , the fact 

 remains that the dynamic ESA consultation and recovery planning 

 process is guiding Federal actions with respect to the listed 

 salmon species. Likewise, ongoing litigation related to the ESA 



