PR 88 05 BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23, 2005 Contact: Mike Hansen | , BPA (503)-230-5131     Feds file improved dam operations plan in U.S. District Court Plan will produce more fish at less cost than plaintiffs' alternative WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23, 2005 - Federal agencies today submitted an operating plan for dams in 2006 to the federal U.S. District Court in Oregon that improves salmon survival on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The plan responds to concerns expressed by this court. It also provides an alternative to a proposal from plaintiffs regarding dam operations. Using the adaptive management provisions of NOAA Fisheries' 2004 Biological Opinion, this plan for dam operations reduces harm to salmon species and increases their survivability at a greater rate than those in the original 2004 plan and in the dam operations proposal requested by the plaintiffs. "The best scientific evidence available suggests the federal proposal for 2006 will yield improved adult returns for spring Snake River salmon and steelhead," said Bob Lohn, Northwest director of NOAA Fisheries in Seattle Federal officials also said there is progress on another important issue -- a collaborative process for developing a long-term plan and analytical framework called for by the court. Long-term recovery actions create the greatest opportunity to benefit weak salmon stocks, the federal officials believe. In addition to the biological merits of the federal plan, the federal agencies have submitted an economic analysis that shows the plaintiffs' proposal would cost regional ratepayers about $450 million a year, generally consistent with an analysis developed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. This would translate into BPA wholesale power rates being about 15 percent higher than they otherwise would be. The plaintiffs' plan would make fish costs equal 40 percent of BPA's total power rates. In contrast, the federal proposal would cost regional ratepayers $46 million and would have a BPA wholesale power rate impact of 2 to 3 percent, or about one-seventh that of the plaintiff's proposal. The merits of both plans will be argued Dec. 15 before Judge Redden in Portland. For more information, see the attached side-by-side comparison or go to www.salmonrecovery.gov. Submitted for distribution on 11-23-2005 at 11:52 AM

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