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I am Ken Pedde, Assistant Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation's 

 Pacific Northwest Region. Thank you for inviting us to respond to the issues 

 raised in your August 11, 1993, letter announcing this field hearing. 



The Department of the Interior, including Reclamation, has supported the 

 Northwest Power Planning Council in its salmon management planning. This 

 includes development of the Council's Strategy for Salmon which we view as an 

 appropriate framework to begin recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin. 



Our support is based on several factors. First, the Council's plan is the 

 only comprehensive plan in existence today. It addresses all aspects of the 

 salmon life cycle including those affected by hydropower, harvest, habitat, ^» 

 and hatcheries. Second, the Council is comprised of representatives appointed 

 by the Governors of the various Northwest States. Therefore, through its 

 plan, the Council is expressing the political will of the region. And last, 

 the Council's strategy was developed in an open, public process that 

 considered input from all of the interests in the region. 



Reclamation is awaiting the adoption of a recovery plan for the ESA listed 

 stocks by the National Marine Fisheries Service. It Is important that the two 

 recovery strategies do not contain major incompatibilities; trying to resolve 

 major differences In the strategies would make the management of scarce water 

 resources much more difficult. 



Reclamation believes that a major strength in the Council's Salmon Strategy is 

 its adaptive management approach. We do not have all of the answers needed to 



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