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flexibility will be used to keep BPA's costs low, with safeguards 

 against abuse of this flexibility. 



We would, however, object to any lessening of executive branch 

 or Congressional oversight of BPA, for the reasons described in our 

 general statement. 



We also object to the proposal to allow BPA to represent 

 itself in judicial proceedings. Where compliance with federal 

 statutes is involved, there is good reason for representation to 

 be provided by the Department of Justice, to ensure uniform 

 application and interpretation of federal law. 



Q. Are there alternatives to government corporation status that 

 would achieve all or many of the same administrative efficiencies 

 sought by Bonneville? 



BPA already possesses many of the attributes of a government 

 corporation. It is self-f inancing, has considerable management 

 flexibility, and is subject to the Government Corporation Control 

 Act. 



But with all of these advantages, BPA is not an efficient 

 enterprise. It is a classic bureaucracy with a large staff, 

 internal competition rather than teamwork, and an overemphasis on 

 process over substance. It is sets policy direction only at the 

 very top, so that staff often labor without clear guidance. Its 

 public involvement process involves mounds of paper and calendars 

 full of meetings, but little access to decisionmakers. 



There is, in short, great potential for BPA to become more 

 efficient by making management and administrative changes under its 

 existing structure. Conversely, if BPA does not make these 

 changes, and simply transforms itself into a government 

 corporation, it will not automatically become an efficient 

 enterprise. 



We recommend that the efficiencies possible under BPA's 

 existing structure be fully realized before it is restructured as 

 a government corporation. 



Q. Would Bonneville's relationships with Congress, the N.W. Power 

 Planning Council, other federal agencies, its customers or the 

 public change with a change in its structure? 



As noted previously, we are concerned that a change in BPA's 

 structure to a government corporation could make it less 

 accountable to Congress, the Power Council, other federal agencies, 

 and the public. We should not rush to judgment on the need for a 



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