NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE'S IMPLE- MENTATION OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT FIELD HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SEPTEMBER 2, 1998, PASCO, WASHINGTON, AND SEPTEMBER 3, 1998, BOISE, IDAHO Serial No. 105±111 Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house or Committee address: http://www.house.gov/resources U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 51±600 u WASHINGTON : 1998 COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES DON YOUNG, Alaska, Chairman W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN, Louisiana GEORGE MILLER, California JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts JIM SAXTON, New Jersey NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia ELTON GALLEGLY, California BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee DALE E. KILDEE, Michigan JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American WAYNE T. GILCHREST, Maryland Samoa KEN CALVERT, California NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii RICHARD W. POMBO, California SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas BARBARA CUBIN, Wyoming OWEN B. PICKETT, Virginia HELEN CHENOWETH, Idaho FRANK PALLONE, JR., New Jersey LINDA SMITH, Washington CALVIN M. DOOLEY, California GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELOÂ , Puerto WALTER B. JONES, JR., North Carolina Rico WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY, Texas MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York JOHN SHADEGG, Arizona ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam JOHN E. ENSIGN, Nevada SAM FARR, California ROBERT F. SMITH, Oregon PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island CHRIS CANNON, Utah ADAM SMITH, Washington KEVIN BRADY, Texas WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts JOHN PETERSON, Pennsylvania CHRIS JOHN, Louisiana RICK HILL, Montana DONNA CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Virgin Islands BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado RON KIND, Wisconsin JIM GIBBONS, Nevada LLOYD DOGGETT, Texas MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho LLOYD A. JONES, Chief of Staff ELIZABETH MEGGINSON, Chief Counsel CHRISTINE KENNEDY, Chief Clerk/Administrator JOHN LAWRENCE, Democratic Staff Director (II) C O N T E N T S Page Hearing held in Pasco, Washington, September 2, 1998 ...................................... 1 Statement of Members: Chenoweth, Hon. Helen, a Representative in Congress from the State of Idaho .......................................................................................................... 8 Hastings, Hon. Doc, a Representative in Congress from the State of Washington .................................................................................................... 4 Nethercutt, Hon. George, a Representative in Congress from the State of Washington ............................................................................................... 7 Romero-BarceloÂ, Hon. Carlos A., a Delegate in Congress from the Com- monwealth of Puerto Rico ............................................................................ 2 Smith, Hon. Linda, a Representative in Congress from the State of Wash- ington ............................................................................................................. 6 Smith, Hon. Robert F. (Bob), a Representative in Congress from the State of Oregon, prepared statement of ...................................................... 75 Statement of Witnesses: Anderson, James D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Fisheries, Uni- versity of Washington, Seattle, Washington ............................................... 18 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 79 Baker, Jim, Northwest Salmon Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club, Pull- man, Washington .......................................................................................... 53 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 171 Baker, Jim, Northwest Salmon Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club, Pullman, Washington ............................................................................ 53 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 105 Response to questions from members ...................................................... 106 Ballard, Clyde, Speaker of the House, Washington State Legislature ........ 10 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 146 Curtis, Jeff, Western Conservation Director, Trout Unlimited, Portland, Oregon ............................................................................................................ 35 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 86 Erickson, Richard, Secretary/Manager, East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Othello, Washington ...................................................................... 57 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 101 Ferrioli, Ted, Oregon State Senate ................................................................. 16 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 77 Givens, John, Executive Director, Port of Kennewick, Kennewick, Wash- ington ............................................................................................................. 38 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 87 Hale, Bob, Hale Farms, Hermiston, Oregon .................................................. 40 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 89 Kilbury, Charles D., Mayor, City of Pasco, Washington ............................... 9 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 144 Lundquist, Lynn, Speaker of the House, Oregon State Legislature ............ 12 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 76 Mastin, Dave, Chairman, House-Senate Executive Branch Task Force on Salmon Recovery, Washington State Legislature ................................. 14 Olsen, Darryll, Ph.D., The Pacific Northwest Project, Kennewick, Wash- ington ............................................................................................................. 36 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 148 Phillips, Rob, Director, Northwest Sport Fishing Industry Association, Oregon City, Oregon ..................................................................................... 59 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 104 Stelle, Jr., William, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington ....................................................................... 31 (III) IV Page Statement of WitnessesÐContinued Stelle, Jr., William, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WashingtonÐContinued Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 81 Response to questions from Committee ................................................... 85 Ziari, Fred, Chairman, Eastern Oregon Irrigation Association, Hermiston, Oregon ............................................................................................................ 35 Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 96 Communications submitted: Bowman, Leo M., Chairman, Board of County Commissioners, prepared statement of ................................................................................................... 131 Christensen, Shirley D., President, Sunset Orchards & Farms, Inc., Othello, Washington, prepared statement of .............................................. 121 Fancher, Helen, President, Washington State Assoc. of Counties, Tacoma, Washington, resolutions passed by .............................................................. 133 Johnson, Linda M., Director, Government Relations, Washington State Farm Bureau, Olympia, Washington, prepared statement of ................... 100 Lonn, Robert D., Consultant/Planner, NW Council of Governments & Associates, Soap Lake, Washington, prepared statement of ..................... 114 McCleary, Edward, Tacoma, Washington, prepared statement of ............... 123 McGregor, Alex, State President, Washington Association of Wheat Grow- ers, prepared statement of ........................................................................... 97 Meissner, Louis, Chairman, Governmental Affairs, Greater Pasco Area, Chamber of Commerce, Pasco, Washington, prepared statement of ........ 124 Norris, Charles R. ``Chuck,'' Hermiston, Oregon, prepared statement of .... 109 Perleberg, Columbia Basin Nursery, L.L.C., prepared statement of ........... 122 Puzey, Kim B., Ph.D., General Manager, Port of Umatilla, Umatilla, Oregon, prepared statement of .................................................................... 135 Riley, Susan, Secretary/Treasurer, Columbia Basin Environmental Coun- cil, Soap Lake, Washington, prepared statement of .................................. 117 Riley, William, Director, Big Bend Economic Development Council, Moses Lake, Washington, prepared statement of .................................................. 116 Stueckle, David J., LaCrosse, Washington, letter to the Committee ........... 98 Sullivan,