CFM,

I first want to assert that I don't have any interest in the Cowlitz fishery, other than perhaps its impacts on the rest of the Columbia River and its tributaries recoveries of wild steelhead. I only fish there twice a year, and it's not that big of a deal to me.

I do, however, have an interest in sportfishermen having viable opportunities to fish, catch fish, and harvest hatchery fish. I also know that the Cowlitz fishery is a spot where a lot of people do get those opportunities.

That being said, I'm going to ask you some questions that I don't know the answer to, since I'm not up at all on the situation down there, and I know you very much are up on the situation.

Not taking sides...just asking questions!

Under the old license agreement...

1. What was Tacoma Power required to do?
2. What did they do to satisfy those requirements?
3. How did they do meeting those requirements (or not meeting them)?

Under the new license agreement...

4. What are they required to do?
5. What are they going to do to meet those requirements?
6. How will those actions do at meeting the requirements?

And lastly...

7. Are the new requirements less or more than they were required to do under the first agreement?

8. If the requirements did change, more or less, were the changes required by law, created by negotiation, or based on something else?

Without having to read all the documentation, if you could fill me in on this stuff it would bring me up to speed very quickly, and then I could form some opinions about what's going on.

I think it would help everyone else to have this information, too.

Thanks, in advance, Bob, for your help and enthusiasm regarding this program. I know I just asked for a lot of information, but I'm sure I could get it from someone as informed as you are more quickly than any other way. With the answers to those questions I'll be able to form some sort of viable opinion as to what is going on down there.

Fish on...

Todd.