514 

 Mr, DeFazio. Mr. Pedde. 



STATEMENT OF KENNETH R. PEDDE 



Mr. Pedde. Mr. Chairman, Mr. LaRocco, I am Ken Pedde, Assist- 

 ant Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation's Pacific 

 Northwest Region. And on behalf of Reclamation, we appreciate the 

 opportunity to be here today. 



You have our written statement, and many of the people have 

 talked about issues that we have discussed and have had commu- 

 nication with v£irious parties on. So I will just make three or four 

 points that we feel are importsuit. 



First, beginning with the salmon summit, Reclamation has taken 

 the position that in resolving the problems associated with salmon, 

 that all of the users of the river must share in that solution. If 

 there is cost or pain to be borne, we believe those costs and pain 

 should be shared equitably. 



Following the salmon summit our counsel took on the task of try- 

 ing to develop a comprehensive plan to come to some conclusions. 

 We supported the Power Council's plan and continue to do so for 

 three primary reasons. 



First, it is, outside of consxiltation, the only comprehensive plan 

 that addresses what has come to be known as the four Hs: hydro- 

 power, habitat, harvest and hatcheries. 



Second, the Power Council as appointed representatives of the 

 Governors, have reflected some of the political will of the region. 



And last £ind not least, in developing its plan, the Power Council 

 held extensive pubUc meetings and heard from all parties regard- 

 ing their concerns, their proposed solution. 



The ESA puts a responsibiUty on federal agencies to use all of 

 its authorities to recover the species. Our efforts in Reclamation 

 have been focused on that — ^what we, in Reclamation, can do to 

 help resolve the problem. 



We recognize that our actions have caused a lot of concern on the 

 parts of some of the traditional users of the river. Some people also 

 claim we have not done enough. In the language of the law, I guess 

 I would say that we feel at this point our actions have been reason- 

 able and prudent. 



And finally, and perhaps a sUght digression fi'om the focus of 

 your task force, a concern that Reclamation has is the potential for 

 growing conflicts and an unmanageable situation as we get more 

 and more conflicts between endangered species. Currently of course 

 the sockeye, fall chinook and the spring and summer chmook have 

 been listed. There are petitions for some of the mid-Columbia 

 stocks, the bull trout has been petitioned. We do have eagles al- 

 ready listed. Mr. Chapman mentioned the snails in the middle 

 Snake. All of these present a real management challenge for those 

 of us who are trying to provide water for any number of purposes. 



In that area, we have recently entered into an agreement, we are 

 in the process of finaUzing it, with National Marine Fisheries Serv- 

 ice and the Fish & Wildlife Service, in which we will present a sin- 

 gle biological assessment covering all of the species of concern to 

 those agencies. They in turn wSl coordinate biological opinions 

 back to us. We hope that that will provide us a msinagement tool 



