2008 amendment comment

Hello, RE: the Draft 2008-11 program, I would like to suggest, that in addition to "further review of climate change issues," that the Council also begin to look at how it can coordinate/be part of a larger inter regional and intergovernmental strategic approach to address climate change. With multiple state, tribal and federal agencies (as well as NGO's)involved in fisheries habitat protection and restoration projects, it's vital that folks begin to talk and look at what everyone else is doing and how everyone can work together towards a common overarching strategy, both to leverage efforts (financial, environmental) by all entities involved, but also to ensure that one entity's efforts to protect and restore habitat is not negated or cancelled out by another entity's efforts. Response to climate change issues in the Columbia River basin will require a dovetailing of everyone's efforts, both for restoration efforts, but also for mitigation and habitat/species adaptation efforts as well. While the 2008-11 Draft program may be too far along to propose anything specific, I would respectfully request that an additional action item be added, to begin discussions with state, tribal, NGOs and federal entities towards an integrated, interagency, interregional strategy in the Columbia River Basin to address fisheries habitat and climate change issues together. Thank you.