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Mr. DeFazio. Mr. Kreidler? 

 Mr. Kreidler. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Bottiger, I would like you to summarize what role you think 

 the Northwest Power Planning Council might play relative to the 

 proposed reorganizations. 



Mr. Bottiger. Currently the Northwest Power Act requires cer- 

 tain federal agencies, including Bonneville, to take the Council's 

 power plan and its fish and wildlife plan into, quote, "consideration 

 at each step of their decision-making process." 



In the case of FERC or some other agencies, they interpret that 

 to make a finding as to why they did not follow our plan. That is 

 kind of the position Bonneville takes. 



In addition, we have the ability, when these agencies' budgets 

 are going through Congress, to come back and point out when they 

 are following or not following the Council's plans. And as you know, 

 we are here regularly when those budget hearings are held. 



Mr. Hardy assures me that his interpretation of their proposal 

 would not change that at all. And if that is the case, then I am sat- 

 isfied. But as you know, I read the bill, and I don't listen to the 

 speech. So I want to see the bill and I want to see it in there. 



Mr. Kreidler. And we don't yet have the specific language; is 

 that correct? 

 Mr. DeFazio. For the corporation? 

 Mr. Kreidler. Right. 

 Mr. DeFazio. No, we do not. 



Mr. Kreidler. Related to this, I would like to ask you about the 

 structure that is being proposed, specifically to the appointment of 

 a single administrator. It appears that the recommendations that 

 have come forward coincide with the desire on the part of BPA, to 

 have a single administrator as opposed to an appointed council. Do 

 you have any thoughts on the single administrator versus board 

 concept, or, perhaps, giving the Northwest Power Planning Council 

 additional authority? 



Mr. Bottiger. First of all, I have not taken this to the Council 

 and I am not speaking for them. Personally I think the TVA model 

 ends up with more problems than the BPA current model does. 



If the Power Council appointed by the governors and represent- 

 ing the regional interests get a say that the administrator has to 

 consider, that is probably as good as a board of directors of a cor- 

 poration. Too many cooks, you know, the stew gets kind of thick 

 sometimes. That may be one of our problems now — the bureaucracy 

 that is embedded there. If they could remove that and be able to 

 move quickly but subject to review and policy guidance from the re- 

 gion, then we have got the best of all worlds. 



So I am not looking for a lot of administrators. That is kind of 

 our problem now. 

 Mr. Kreidler. Mr. White? 



Mr. White. I share Ted's comments. I think they are well put. 

 We want to have something that can be swift on its feet, and yet 

 still be accountable and responsive, and that is the balance we are 

 trying to strike. 



I think it particularly is going to be important in the next dec- 

 ades because, as you know, power generation is becoming more 

 competitive every year. I wouldn't be surprised, looking into a crys- 



