510 



And as a citizen of Lewiston, Idaho/Clarkston, Washington, val- 

 ley, I much prefer to forego forever the experience of having the 

 rivers and our community reduced to a stinking mudhole such as 

 we experienced during the 1992 test drawdown. 



As you are probably aware, plans are now being formulated for 

 an additional test drawdown of just the lower Granite pool of the 

 Snake River lasting up to 4V^ months and costing $40 million. This 

 test could take place as early as 1995, starting in mid-April and 

 lasting well into September. I hope you can appreciate the negative 

 impacts a test like this will have on my region, not just economi- 

 cally but also in the areas of recreation and our social quaUty of 

 life. 



Now some people will say that $40 million is not much to spend 

 on salmon recovery, but this is only the tip of the iceberg, and as 

 more tests are needed and dam modifications become necessary, 

 the costs are guaranteed to go into the bilUons if somebody does 

 not stand up £ind say that drawdowns are a stupid costly idea that 

 this country cannot afford. 



The Corps of Engineers and the National Marine Fisheries Serv- 

 ice cannot say that because they have to act within the parsimeters 

 of the Endangered Species Act by pursuing all alternatives. BPA 

 will not say that because it sounds too self-serving. The Northwest 

 Power Planning Council cannot say that because it has to appease 

 Idaho. The Administration cannot say that because they have to 

 appease environmental interests. 



Only Congress can say this costs too much, and the money must 

 be put to better use. Congress ought to say it now. Congress should 

 review the evidence fi'om their own federal agencies concerning the 

 scientific benefits and the associated costs of implementing 

 drawdowns and immediately direct funds to areas of sahnon recov- 

 ery that have some assimilation of cost efficiency. The faster Con- 

 gress acts, the more money this country will save. 



I have tried to tell you what I tlunk my friends and neighbors 

 would tell you if they had the opportunity to talk to you. In closing, 

 Mr. Chairman, maybe I shoiild at least mention one of the topics 

 you asked me to address, since I have not exactly done that so far. 



You asked if a new entity should be created with authority to 

 mandate salmon recovery actions. In my opinion, there would be no 

 improvement in efficiencies by creating new entities or shifbing re- 

 sponsibilities. Congress still would have to make the tough decision 

 about how much money this country can afford to spend on just 

 this one issue. Many people, maybe some here today, have ap- 

 proached this problem as if money is no object and fiinds are limit- 

 less. I do not think that is true. I hope that you do not think that 

 is true. And no matter how you reconstruct the bureaucracy, the 

 buck stops with you. 



Th£uik you. 



[Prepared statement of Mr. Stegner follows:] 



