INTRODUCTION 



The Northwest Power Act requires the Council to develop a program to "protect, mitigate and 

 enhance fish and wildlife" in the Columbia River Basin. 16 U.S.C. §839b(l)(A). In the legislative 

 history of the Act, Representative John Dingelt (D-Mich.) stated: 



. . .In developing the program, the Council and BPA should not slight wildlife needs. 

 The fishery needs are important. Much emphasis and consideration of this 

 legislation was on the anadromous and other fishery resources. However, from the 

 beginning of our consideration of the bill in the House, we have stressed the need 

 to protect, mitigate the adverse effects on, and enhance both fish and wildlife." 

 (Cong. Rec. p. E5105 daily ed. Dec 1, 1980). 



To carry out this mandate, the Council established in its 1982 Fish and Wildlife Program a 

 planning process to address the impacts of hydropower development and operations on wildlife in 

 the Columbia River Basin. The planning process was designed to identify specific impacts to 

 wildlife and its associated habitat, and to recommend appropriate mitigation measures. That 

 process includes the following steps: 



1. development of status reports on wildlife planning and mitigation programs at hydroelectric 

 projects in the Columbia Basin; 



2. presentation of statements identifying losses of wildlife and/or wildlife habitat; 



3. development of mitigation plans; and 



4. the subsequent incorporation of approved mitigation plans or appropriate alternatives into 

 the fish and wildlife program. 



In Febmary 1987, the Council incorporated wildlife mitigation plans for Montana's Hungry 

 Horse and Libby dams into the fish and wildlife program. These were the first and only wildlife 

 mitigation plans to be reviewed and approved by the Council. During that amendment process, 

 the Council decided that all future wildlife mitigation plans should be considered in amendment 

 proceedings before they are included in the program for funding. 



Since that time, the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes have completed wildlife mitigation 

 proposals for Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, eight Willamette Basin hydroelectric facilities in 

 Oregon, and the Palisades, Anderson Ranch and Black Canyon dams in Idaho. These proposals 

 have been forwarded to the Council for review and consideration. 



Prior to making a decision on whether to enter rulemaking to incorporate the proposals in the 

 fish and wikjiife program. Council staff believes it is important to discuss these mitigation proposals 

 with affected regional parties. Concurrent with discussions on the merits of each of the individual 

 mitigation proposals, it would be useful to discuss several broader wildlife policy issues as they 

 relate to the program. Specifically, the Council will be seeking comment on the need for 

 establishing regional goals and objectives for the wikJIife program, the potential cost of the wildlife 

 program and its impact on ratepayers, the allocation of responsibility for wildlife losses and the 

 pace (schedule) at which wikllife projects shoukj be implemented. 



