and Snake River systems, subject to limited review by the Northwest Power Planning 

 Council. A fish and wildlife fund would have been created with revenues from the 

 Bonneville Power Administration, the Mid-Columbia public utility districts and the Idaho 

 Power Company. The resource plan, the payment of funds into the fish and wildlife fund 

 and the expenditure of funds to implement the plan would have been deemed sufficient to 

 satisfy the Endangered Species Act, the Northwest Power Act, the National 

 Environmental Policy Act and other federal laws, for utilities contributing to the fish and 

 wildlife fund. 



It is important to note the issue of state legislative concurrence in any material 

 changes in the Northwest Power Act. The Northwest Power Act represents a compact of 

 the four Northwest states and Congress. If the terms of the compact are significantly 

 altered, it can be argued that each state legislature" must consent to the amended compact 

 before it can take effect. 



COMMENTORS: Should these or other broad legislative proposals be 

 pursued this year? Would it be more advisable to proceed with more limited 

 innovations in the short term and have a more extended debate over broader 

 changes? 



