[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S2793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC REVIEW PANEL OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ELECTRIC 
                         POWER PLANNING COUNCIL

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1167) amend the Pacific 
Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act to provide for 
expanding the scope of the Independent Scientific Review Panel which 
had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
with an amendment as follows:
  (The part of the bill intended to be inserted is shown in italic.)

                                S. 1167

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REVIEW OF REIMBURSABLE PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, AND 
                   MEASURES BY THE INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC REVIEW 
                   PANEL OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ELECTRIC POWER 
                   PLANNING COUNCIL.

       Section 4(h)(10)(D) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power 
     Planning and Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 839b(h)(10)(D)) is 
     amended by striking clauses (vii) and (viii) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(vii) Review by the panel of reimbursable projects, 
     programs, and measures.--

       ``(I) In general.--With regard to Columbia Basin fish and 
     wildlife projects, programs or measures proposed in a Federal 
     agency budget to be reimbursed by BPA, or paid through a 
     direct funding agreement with BPA, the panel shall annually--

       ``(aa) review such proposals;
       ``(bb) determine whether the proposals are consistent with 
     the criteria stated in item (iv);
       ``(cc) make any recommendations that the Panel considers 
     appropriate to make the project, program, or measure meet the 
     criteria stated in item (iv); and
       ``(dd) transmit the recommendations to the Council no later 
     than April 1 of each year.

       ``(II) Public availability and comment.--Determinations and 
     recommendations made by the panel under subclause (I) shall 
     be available to the public and shall be subject to public 
     comment as in item (v).
       ``(III) Role of the council.--The Council shall fully 
     consider the recommendations of the Panel when making its 
     final recommendations of projects proposed by Federal 
     agencies and reimbursed by BPA, or paid through a direct 
     funding agreement with BPA. The Council shall submit its 
     recommendations to the House and Senate Committees on 
     Appropriations and relevant authorizing committees, and the 
     U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
     Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville Power 
     Administration no later than May 15 of each year. If the 
     Council does not incorporate a recommendation of the Panel in 
     its recommendations, the Council shall explain in writing its 
     reasons for not accepting Panel recommendations.

       ``(viii) Cost limitation.--The annual cost of this 
     provision shall not exceed $750,000 in 1997 dollars.''.

  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1167), as amended, was passed.

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