521 



Although regional coordination among Federal, State, tribal, and private 

 entities has improved, we know that more needs to be done. 



Reclamation, the Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), 

 and others have been discussing alternative institutional processes related to 

 river operations (related to alternatives a and d in your August 11 letter) as 

 part of our System Operation Review. A concept called "the Forum" is 

 presently being developed and a draft describing alternative arrangements will 

 soon be available. The alternatives range from: Iceeping the existing 

 structure; creating a single new operating entity; or expanding the existing 

 structure to include the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fish and Wildlife 

 Service and tribal representatives. The Federal SOR participants recognize ,» 

 having all the involved interests at the discussions is an important aspect of 

 improving coordination. In each alternative, public involvement would be a 

 very critical and important function. 



In relation to the Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (your 

 alternative c), the existing agreement recognizes that operations for non- 

 power uses have top priority, regardless of impacts on power production. It 

 also protects the various parties from any penalties for requiring operations 

 for nonpower purposes. Existing salmon recovery measures are presently 

 incorporated into the agreement's annual planning study, when known, and the 

 PNCA parties then determine how to coordinate the power production resulting 

 from system operational changes associated with additional recovery measures. 

 Departures from the coordination plan can be made to provide additional water 

 for salmon. For example, Reclamation operated Grand Coulee and the Corps 



