View source for Northwest Power and Conservation Council

[[File:Northwest Power and Conservation Council members.svg|thumb|Member states of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council]]
The '''Northwest Power and Conservation Council''' is a regional organization that develops and maintains a regional power plan and a fish and wildlife program to balance the Northwest's environment and energy needs. Based in [[Portland, Oregon]], the Council was created in 1980 when the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] passed the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nwcouncil.org/history/NorthwestPowerAct.asp|title=Northwest Power Act |author=NW Council|publisher=Northwest Power and Conservation Council|date=|accessdate=2010-03-05}}</ref> The council's main task is to develop a 20-year electric power plan that will guarantee adequate and reliable energy at the lowest economic and environmental cost to the Northwest. Member states of the organization are [[Idaho]], [[Montana]], [[Oregon]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]].

==Power plan==
The council updates the 20-year electric power plan every five years. The process relies on broad public participation to inform the plan and build consensus on its recommendations. The plan generally targets [[Efficient energy use|energy efficiency]] and predicts that a large percentage of the new demand for electricity over the next 20 years in the [[Northwestern United States]] can be met by using energy more efficiently.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/08/efficiency_can_help_nw_meet_85.html|title=Efficiency can help Northwest meet 85% of new electricity demand |author=Sickinger, Ted|publisher=[[The Oregonian]]|date=2009-08-11|accessdate=2010-03-05}}</ref> The sixth plan was unanimously approved by the council on February 10, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/conservation_efforts_will_play.html|title=Conservation efforts will play key role in meeting Northwest's energy needs |author=Preusch, Matthew|publisher=The Oregonian|date=2010-02-10|accessdate=2010-03-06}}</ref>

==Fish and wildlife==
The council updates a fish and wildlife plan about every five years. As a planning, policymaking and reviewing body, the Council develops the program, and then monitors its implementation by the [[Bonneville Power Administration]], the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]], the [[United States Bureau of Reclamation]], and the [[Federal Energy Regulatory Commission]] and its licensees. The Northwest Power Act directs the council to develop its program and make periodic major revisions by first requesting recommendations from the region’s federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, appropriate Indian tribes (those within the basin) and other interested parties. The council also takes comment from designated entities and the public on those recommendations. The council then issues a draft amended program, initiating an extensive public comment period on the recommendations and proposed program amendments that includes extensive written comments, public hearings in each of the four states, and consultations with interested parties. 

== See also ==

* {{annotated link|Western Climate Initiative}}
* {{annotated link|The Climate Registry}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nwcouncil.org/ Official page]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Northwest Power And Conservation Council}}
[[Category:United States interstate agencies]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Energy in Oregon]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1980]]
[[Category:1980 establishments in Oregon]]