Draft Proposal and Invitation to Comment:
Revising the Membership Categories for the Fish Passage Center Oversight Board

March 15, 2007

TO: Interested Parties

FROM: John Shurts, General Counsel
Jim Ruff, Manager, Mainstem Passage and River Operations

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council is seeking comment on a proposed change in the membership categories for the Fish Passage Center Oversight Board. The Council intends that the Oversight Board resume its functions. The Council's Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program describes the nature and duties of the Oversight Board as follows:

The Council has established an oversight board for the Fish Passage Center (Center), with representation from NOAA Fisheries, state fish and wildlife agencies, tribes, the Council, and others to provide policy guidance for the Center and to ensure that the Center carries out its functions in a way that assures regional accountability and compatibility with the regional data management system. The oversight board's responsibilities will include conducting an annual review of the performance of the Center and developing a goal-oriented plan for next year's operation. The Center shall prepare an annual report to the oversight board and the Council, summarizing its activities and accomplishments. There will be no other oversight board or board of directors for the Center.

The Council plans to reconstitute the membership of the Oversight Board before the Board resumes its work. The current membership categories are as follows:

• one Council member or Council representative
• one member representing NOAA Fisheries
• one member representing the upper Columbia River Basin tribes
• one member representing the lower Columbia River Basin tribes
• one member representing the state fish and wildlife managers
• one member from the scientific community
• two members from the public at large

At its April meeting in Libby, Montana, the Council will decide on a revised set of membership categories and approve a letter requesting nominations for people to fill these slots. The Council proposes to change the Oversight Board membership to the following:

• one Council member or Council representative, who will be the Chair
• one member representing NOAA Fisheries
• one member representing the upper Columbia River Basin tribes
• one member representing the lower Columbia River Basin tribes
• two members representing the state fish and wildlife agencies, one from the upper Columbia River Basin (ID/MT) and one from the lower Columbia River Basin (OR/WA)
• two members from the scientific community

The Council is interested in appointing members who have a scientific or technical background in disciplines related to functions which the Center performs. The Council will evaluate nominees for all positions on that basis.

The Council requests comment on this proposed change in the membership categories for the Fish Passage Center Oversight Board. See sidebar on how to comment.