602 



The downside of the public involvement process is the introduction of non-biologically sound 

 opinions that cause political solutions over good science. The upside can be that, if society 

 deems the costs of hydroelectric power generation at the expense of the fish and wildlife 

 resources to be too high, and if society agrees to forego some monetary benefits of cheap pwwer, 

 then the cost of restoring the fish and wildlife resources, including fundamental changes to 

 power production facilities and technologies may receive the priority that the natural resources 

 demand. 



b) Changing the membership structure or authorities of the Council: 



Response : 



Tribal governments lack representation on the NPPC. The NPPC, perhaps because of their 

 appointments by state governors, have claimed that the NPPC does not have a trust responsibility 

 to the tribes. However, because the Power Act is a federal act, mandated by the same 

 government that has signed Treaties with the Indians, and because the NPPC is established by 

 the Power Act, the NPPC does have a federal fiduciary responsibility to the tribes, regardless 

 of who appoints the individuals on the NPPC. 



c) Incorporating salmon recovery measures into the Pacific Northwest Coordinating 

 Agreement: 



Response : 



The PNCA deals with the utilization of water for the generation of power. The incorporation 

 of water use for fish into the PNCA would aid with regard to mainstem flows. Therefore, this 

 is a good strategy. 



However, there are many other impacts to the salmon that are not exclusively water related, and 

 therefore, the PNCA would not serve as a forum for implementing those actions (e.g., habitat 

 improvements, irrigation diversions, production actions, harvest rates and regimes). The NPPC 

 is currently the main clearing house for all mitigation actions of the federal hydrosystem, and 

 the US V Oregon forum deals primarily with harvest and production actions. What is missing 

 is a central forum for dealing with federal and nonfederal power production and habitat (private, 

 state, and federal) activities. The best solution would be to have the fishery managers mange 

 the fish, and the hydroelectric managers manage for power, and the irrigators manage for 

 irrigation, etc. 



d) Adopting a new agreement or creating a new regional entity among BPA, Corps 

 of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Council, and others to administer 

 annual river operations: 



Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Testimony Page 8 



BPA Task Force Hearings 



