299 



along some critical path to get the priorities implemented for im- 

 mediate survival to halt the decline of the declining stocks, we 

 would certainly support. We have got to deal with longer-term re- 

 covery as well, but if we are going to turn these things around and 

 keep them from being hsted, we have got to halt it. We have got 

 to do something now, get on the most immediate priorities, or we 

 are going to be playing with the ESA listing one by one by one, and 

 that is not going to be cost effective. 



Mr. DeFazio. Okay. To Mr. Van Pelt, first off, I have a number 

 of concerns about the thus far rather vague proposals I have seen 

 regarding BPA as a government corporation, and one point I have 

 made at the outset to anybody and everybody within earshot is 

 that mandates of the Northwest Power Act are not going to go 

 away. And anybody who is proposing changes in BPA's structure 

 to make it more competitive or talking about any other number of 

 alterations, repayment reform, whatever, underl3dng all those, or 

 overarching all those, will be the continued mandates of the North- 

 west Power Act, in my opinion, which goes to conservation, renew- 

 ables and fish and wildlife. I will certainly ask BPA since they are 

 apparently working with the Department of Energy on a govern- 

 ment corporation decision, in their opinion what tribal trust re- 

 sponsibilities would be required of that corporation. I think it is an 

 excellent question and I share your concern there. I did not mean 

 to shght the tribes, but I have been raising a number of concerns 

 about mandates that would still apply, and this is an additional 

 one. 



You heard the Administrator and my question to Mr. Smith 

 about the limip sum transfer. How do you think that would best 

 be done in the opinion of the tribes, to meet the tribes' interests 

 and treaty obligations? Would it require that the tribes receive a 

 direct apportionment or do you have some confidence that NMFS 

 or someone else could administer those funds in such a way that, 

 you know, we could get the job done to your satisfaction? 



Mr. Van Pelt. Well, Mr. Chairman, as you probably know — I for- 

 get what the name of it is — but right now select tribes in Oregon 

 are getting like one lump sum to be administered by themselves 

 without going through the BIA. And I believe that if the tribes 

 have been advocating for fish and wildlife monies to go directly to 

 the tribes so the tribes could administer it themselves. Yes, I be- 

 Ueve all the tribes are capable of administrating any funds that are 

 given to them for fish and wildlife. 



Mr. DeFazio. But you would certainly strive to work in a coordi- 

 nated fashion so that what you are doing complimented other ef- 

 forts rather than was contradicting. 



Mr. Van Pelt. Oh, yes, we would. 



Mr. DeFazio. Okay. Let me see, I had another question. Do you 

 want to discuss hatcheries a Httle bit and what the tribes feel are 

 the problems with the hatcheries, and what you would propose as 

 a change in the way that whole system is run? I think you have 

 an opinion on that. 



Mr. Van Pelt. I do, Mr. Chairman, but I would rather refer that 

 to our staff person. 



Mr. LOTHROP. Well, I was hoping Mr. Van Pelt would repeat a 

 presentation I have heard so often by Delbert Frank of the Warm 



