[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 40512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19921]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration


Pacific Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA)

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: The Administrator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BPA, 
acting for BPA, and, as Chairman of the United States Entity (the 
Administrator of BPA and the Division Engineer, North Pacific Division 
of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)), acting on behalf 
of the United States Entity, has decided that the 1964 Pacific 
Northwest Coordination Agreement (PNCA) should be revised and retained.
    To facilitate the implementation of the 1997 PNCA, BPA, the 
Regional Director of the Pacific Northwest Regional Office of the 
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and the Division Engineer of the 
Northwestern Division (formerly the North Pacific Division) of the 
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) have decided to clarify 
each agency's role and responsibility under the 1997 PNCA in a 
Memorandum of Agreement.
    This decision is consistent with the Columbia River System 
Operation Review (SOR) Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (DOE/
EIS-0170, November 1995) which evaluated the potential impacts of five 
alternatives for regional coordination.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the SOR Final EIS, Appendix R of the EIS (which 
presents the environmental review for the PNCA), and complete copies of 
this ROD are available from BPA's Communications Office, P.O. Box 
12999, Portland, Oregon 97212. Copies of the documents may also be 
obtained by calling BPA's toll-free document request line at: 1-800-
622-4520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phil Mesa--PGPL-DITT2, Bonneville 
Power Administration, P.O. Box 3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621, 
phone number (360) 418-2152.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The current PNCA was executed in 1964 as an 
important component of regional plans to maximize the Northwest's hydro 
resource capability. Maximization also included the development of 
three storage projects on the Columbia River in Canada pursuant to the 
terms of the 1964 Columbia River Treaty between Canada and the United 
States (Treaty). These storage dams provide regulated streamflows that 
enable Federal and non-Federal hydroelectric projects downstream in the 
United States to produce additional power benefits. The Treaty requires 
the United States to deliver to Canada one-half of these downstream 
power benefits (known as the Canadian Entitlement). The non-Federal 
utilities of the region committed to provide a portion of the share of 
Treaty benefits required to be delivered to Canada. In return, the 
United States Government agreed to participate in coordinated 
operation. The Federal and non-Federal allocation was the subject of a 
separate ROD; the Canadian Entitlement Allocation Extension Agreement 
(CEAEA) ROD was issued on April 29, 1997.
    The 1964 PNCA expires in 2003. The region's obligation to return 
Columbia River Treaty benefits continues, at a minimum, until 2024. The 
1997 PNCA, which revises the 1964 PNCA, extends through 2024.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on July 18, 1997.
Randall W. Hardy,
Administrator and CEO, Bonneville Power Administration, and Chairman, 
United States Entity.
[FR Doc. 97-19921 Filed 7-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P