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In view of the initiatives under SOR to develop, evaluate, 

 and obtain public views on the four sets of alternatives, it is 

 premature to offer specific comments or positions on the series 

 of institution-related questions in your letter. Recognizing 

 that we have not yet completed the public review and do not want 

 to prejudge the outcome of this coordination, I offer the 

 following comments: 



We believe there is potential for improving public 

 involvement in planning hydrosystem operation. Each of the 

 Forum alternatives assumes changes and improvements to 

 existing procedures will be made. An important 

 consideration in additional involvement actions is how 

 existing Federal and regional processes can be consolidated 

 and perhaps better coordinated. This consideration is one 

 of the evaluation criteria in the Forum evaluation. 



With regard to the Pacific Northwest Coordination 

 Agreement (PNCA) , that agreement does not constrain salmon 

 recovery measures associated with system operation. In 

 fact, the agreement provides for nonpower uses as determined 

 by the reservoir owner/operator. Nonpower requirements are 

 determined during the operating planning process and 

 incorporated in the operating plan. Adjustments for project 

 and system needs such as anadromous fish can be made in 

 "real time" as have been occurring as a result of 

 Endangered Species Act consultations (1991/92 and 1992/93 

 operating years) . The focus should continue to be on 

 determining the best long-term operating strategy which can 

 provide the basis for PNCA operating plans. 



Mandating Recovery Actions 



The final concept mentioned in your questions, that of 

 creating a new entity or designating an existing agency with 

 authority to mandate salmon recovery actions, is of current 

 interest. The impetus for such a concept presumably is that it 

 would permit more orderly and expedient decision-making. At this 

 point, the recovery plan being developed by National Marine 

 Fisheries Service is a comprehensive plan to address the complex 

 issues and permit further analysis of the effects on Federal, 

 state and tribal interests and authorities and upon others who 

 depend on the Columbia River for recreation, navigation, flood 

 control, fish and wildlife resources and power production. 



It is not clear how some other entity or process would work. 

 What is clear is the challenge to be faced. There are a number 

 of Columbia River Basin water and land-uses and harvest matters 

 which are administered by many Federal, state and tribal 

 entities. In addition, the Canadians, under U.S. -Canada 

 treaties, have an interest as do the many fishery management 

 councils representing states outside the Northwest. Any entity 

 mandating salmon recovery actions also would have to prioritize 



