342 



Partial grants and loans to municipalities and industries for 

 construction of pollution abatement works witli annual appropria- 

 tions at $100 million for an indefinite period; 



Grants for advance planning of pollution abatement works to 

 States, interstate agencies and other public bodies; 

 Development by watersheds for pollution control ; 

 Promotion of interstate compacts ; 



Enforcement of pollution abatement, of interstate waters only, 

 through Federal court action without public hearings or State 

 consent ; 



Establishment of a National "Water Pollution Control Advisory 

 Board; and 

 Administration by the Surgeon General. 

 Companion bills were introduced in the House.^ 

 Extensive hearings were held on these bills in subcommittees of 

 the Senate and House Committees on Public Works.^ In the Senate 

 subcommittee, testimony was received from 88 witnesses during 10 

 days of hearings (403 pages of testimony and exhibits) : in the House 

 subcommittee 40 witnesses appeared during 4 days of hearings (270 

 pages of testimony and exliibits). Views were obtained from repre- 

 sentatives of the Federal Government, State health organizations, in- 

 dustry and trade associations, chambers of commerce, conservationists, 

 sanitary engineering consulting firms, and municipal officials. 



Communications from interested Federal agencies mostly supported 

 the objectives of the proposed legislation, while differing on details. 

 The Federal Security Agency, and the Public Plealth Service (later to 

 be incorporated in the Department of HEW) reconnnended that the 

 legislation be in the form of an amendment to the existing Public 

 Health Service Act.^° The Department of Agriculture recommended 

 that the bill positively prohibit new sources of pollution." It also pro- 

 posed that if a State failed to act, cases could be brought to court, by 

 authority given to the Surgeon General. The Department of the Inte- 

 rior expressed resen" ations as to the extent of enforcement desirable at 

 that time: 



* * * Some exercise of the police power [saifl the Departmental statement] i.s 

 probably necessary to implement an effective pollution program but it is very 

 doubtful whether stringent methods should be resorted to at the present time, 

 or within any narrowly limited time after enactment of appropriate legislation.'" 



The Bureau of the Budget said that authorization of Federal grants 

 or loans for the construction of pollution abatement projects should be 

 deferred until results were available from the studies and investiga- 

 tions envisioned under other provisions of the proposed legislation." 



* Thf Sf wprp H.R. 315. intrnrtucpd by Rppresentativp Snpnce. and H.R. 470. introflncpfl 

 by Rpprpsontativp Elston. .Tnn. 6. 1947 ; a separatp bill by Reprpspntativp Mundt. H.R. 12.S, 

 introfliifpr] .Tnn. ?•. ]947. diffprpd from tlip othprs in (1) probibitiiicr new snnrrps of pollu- 

 tion nnlpss approvpd by tliP Surgeon General and State health fifflcials. (2) iiroyidiiifr an 

 ppoape clause from Federal court action in the case of financial or technical inability to 

 oomrdy with nn otherwise lecally enforceable administrative order. 



"House. Committee on Public Works. Water pollution control. Hearings op. clt. : U.S. 

 Congress. Senate Committee on Public Works. Stream pollution control. Hearings before a 

 subcommittee of the * * * on S. 41.'<. a bill to provide for water-polUition-control activities 

 In the T' S. Public Health Service, and for other purposes. Apr. 22. 23, 24. and 2S, 1947. 

 80th Cong., 1st sess. (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1947), 403 pages. 

 (Hereafter referred to as Senate hearings, 1947). 



'" Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C, ch. (5A), .Tuly 1, 1944. 



" Senate hearings, 1947. op. clt., p. 11. 



12 Ibid., p. Ifi. 



^3 Ibid., p. 15. 



