Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning Council June 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 4(h) of the Northwest Power Act, the Council has amended its Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (program). The final amended program may be found on the Council's Web site at https://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/program. Background: Pursuant to section 4(h) of the Northwest Power Act, in November 2007 the Northwest Power and Conservation Council requested in writing that State and Federal fish and wildlife agencies, Indian tribes, and others submit recommendations for amendments to the Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The Council received over 3000 pages of recommendations and supporting information from 65 entities. The Council then received extensive written public comment on the program amendment recommendations. In September 2008, after reviewing the recommendations, the supporting information, and the comments received on the recommendations, the Council released for public review a draft revised Fish and Wildlife Program. The Council received over 1000 pages of substantial written comments on the draft amendments. All of these documents may be found on the Council's Web site at https:// www.nwcouncil.org/fw/program/2008amend. The Council also took oral testimony at a dozen public hearings around the region. Transcripts of these hearings are in the administrative record along with the written comments. As specified in section 4(h)(5), the Council also held a number of consultations on the recommendations and draft amendments with representatives of State and Federal fish and wildlife agencies, Indian tribes, Federal hydrosystem agencies, and customers of the Bonneville Power Administration. Notes from these consultations are also in the administrative record.