Frequently I get asked about fish and wildlife program expenditures. Each month Benton REA members pay a proportionate share of the cost of the regional fish and wildlife expenditures made by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as part of their electric bill. Recently the sixth annual draft report on the expenditures of BPA to implement the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council was released. I thought you might be interested in some of the findings:

1. On average, each Benton REA member pays about $16.50 per month toward fish and wildlife costs.
2. In fiscal year 2006, BPA spent a total of $851.7 million to mitigate the impacts of hydropower dams on fish and wildlife on the Columbia River Basin.
3. From 1978 through 2006, BPA has spent over eight and a half billion dollars ($8,662,800,000) on these programs.

While it is true that BPA finances these programs, the money is collected through the monthly power bills that you and I pay. We all acknowledge that our environment and maintaining our way of life is important. That is why we want to make sure that we are "getting what we pay for." After all that is the "Cooperative Way."