Oral history interview with Al Wright, 2002 April 15-October 28

In the first interview session, conducted on April 15, 2002, Wright discusses his family background and early life in Cloverdale, California. He talks about his education at the University of California at Berkeley, and about his early career as an engineer with Los Angeles Water and Power. He speaks about serving on the Oregon Water Resources Board, conducting a wastewater study in Eugene, and serving on the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission.

In the second interview session, conducted on May 23, 2002, Wright discusses the history of the Washington Public Power Supply System and its relationship to the 1980 Northwest Power Act. He speaks about the development of the Northwest Power Planning Council, including the leadership of Dan Evans, and lobbying state governors regarding appointments to the council. He talks about his work with the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, and the PNUCC's involvement with the work of the power planning council, particularly the council's fish and wildlife plan. He also talks about some of the members of the council, and shares the perspectives of electrical utilities regarding the council's power and conservation plans.

In the third interview session, conducted on July 12, 2002, Wright speaks at length about the relationship between the NWPPC and the Bonneville Power Administration. He discusses his work on the fish and wildlife committee of PNUCC, and speaks at length about the fish and wildlife plan of the council, including the science behind the plan, its effectiveness, and its implementation. He talks about the effectiveness of salmon hatcheries on the Columbia River, and about outcomes for hatchery fish. He discusses the allocation of the BPA budget for fish and energy conservation. He talks about working with some of the members of the council, including Norma Paulus; discusses the interests of electrical utilities in Montana; and speaks about working with the Army Corps of Engineers.

In the fourth interview session, conducted on August 20, 2002, Wright continues to discuss the interests of electrical utilities in Montana and working with some of the members of the NWPPC. He also talks about the interests of electric utilities in Idaho. He describes the impact the addition of some salmon species to the endangered species list in 1989 had on the council.

In the fifth and final interview session, conducted on October 28, 2002, Wright continues to describe the impact the addition of some salmon species to the endangered species list in 1989 had on the council. He speaks about the conflicts surrounding the NWPPC's 1994 fish and wildlife plan, about the retirement of Ed Sheets, and about the turnover in council members and staff in the 1990s. He shares his reasons for leaving PNUCC after 1995, and talks about running a consulting business. He discusses the work of the NWPPC under the leadership of John Etchart, speaks at length about the deregulation of electric utilities that began in the 1990s, and closes the interview by sharing his opinion on public utilities.