September 7, 2000

BPA Leadership,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the development of a regional transmission organization in the Northwest. This is obviously a time of change for the nation's electric utility industry. The Bonneville Power Administration has played a key role for over 60 years in the Pacific Northwest. We envision BPA's participation in helping make the Northwest a great place for people to live and work for the next century.

Here are comments from the Professional Division of Laborers' International Union of North America, Local 335, AFL-CIO, concerning the potential formation of a Northwest Regional Transmission Organization. We represent over 400 BPA professional employees.

The Washington State Labor Council has developed a consensus position statement on electric utility restructuring with our input. Cut and paste the following link to the complete text. http://www.wslc.org/legis/elecderg.htm

Our bottom line position is that restructuring should only be considered if it can be demonstrated that it will improve the lives of the people of the Northwest.

The Filing Utilities' RTO principle on this issue appears to differ in a significant way from BPA's. While BPA argues for "demonstrable end-use consumer benefits", the Filing Utilities call for "sustainable customer benefits."

BPA exists to look after the needs of all Pacific Northwest residents. You should insist on an RTO that satisfies this mandate, namely, providing real tangible benefits to the people of the Northwest, (including financial, reliability, environmental, and public purpose benefits). Otherwise, just say no.

We expect you to honor your commitment, recently reiterated by Mark Maher, your Transmission Business Line senior vice-president, that "We won't sign on to an RTO that doesn't match our principles." Please remember that the transmission system which you are stewards of is not your asset to just give away to private interests. It was built and paid for by the citizens of the Pacific Northwest, and belongs to them. If there is anything that we can do to help insure protection of the people's interests, please let me know.

Sincerely,

David J. Letinich, Business Manager

Tom Pansky, President

Judy Schoenberg, Vice President

Bob Jones, Chief Steward

Representing the Officers and Members of LIUNA, Local #335

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