493 



The fish and wildlife agencies and the Tribes have limited ability to fill gaps created by 

 funding shortfalls. State governments in the region have been hit particularly hard by budget 

 constraints. Also Endangered Species Act listings have created an additional backlog of 

 work for agency staffs. Hence, it is important that Bonneville do its part to adequately fund 

 protection and enhancement of fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. 



The State and Federal fish and wildlife agencies and most Tribal organizations participate in 

 the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA). CBFWA serves a coordination 

 and information transfer function for its members and as a liaison between the agencies and 

 Tribes, the Council, and Bonneville. These coordination opportunities should be fostered to 

 speed implementation. 



Under the circumstances, we believe that the Federal and State agencies are doing a 

 reasonably good job of coordinating activities to achieve timely implementation of the over 

 100 actions the Council added to the Fish and Wildlife Program through the Strategy for 

 Salmon. In its July 1, 1993, draft Annual Report to Congress, the Council indicated that 

 about 90 percent of the Strategy was being implemented. The Fish and Wildlife Service is 

 committed to work with the Council and other Federal and State agencies. Tribes, and other 

 entities to improve implementation. 



3) Bonneville asserts that its current financial condition will prevent or delay full 

 implementation of the Council's fish and wildlife program. What measures can 

 Bonneville take to ensure more stable funding for the Council's fish and wildlife 

 programs, given its wide swing in revenues? 



Bonneville has established funding reserves that were intended to carry it through swings in 

 revenues. Drought conditions, depressed aluminum prices, repaying the debt from 

 mothballed nuclear power plants, fish protection measures, and pressures to keep rates low 

 have all been identified as factors that have contributed to a substantial reduction in their 



