355 



to expand and liberalize pollution grants."^- However, in 11)61 the 

 views of President Kennedy favored enlarged Federal activity, and a 

 series of additional legislative proposals for control of water pollution 

 received strong endorsement by the incoming Chief Executive. 



Renewed activity in Federal control legislation after 1960 



In 1961, President John F. Kennedy called for strengthening ot 

 tlie Water Pollution Control Act. Legislation embodying most of 

 his request was passed and signed into law as Public Law 87-88, 

 July 20, 1961. This legislation modified the existing law in five prin- 

 cipal ways: 



1. At the request of a State Governor, the Federal enforcement 

 authority could be extended to interstate waterways. 



2. Construction and research grants were substantially en- 

 larged. 



3. Authority to extend grants to support State and interstate 

 water pollution control programs was broadened. 



4. Administration of the program was assigned to the Secre- 

 tary of Health, Education, and Welfare. 



5. The requirement that Federal suits against pollution offend- 

 ers have previous approval of the State Governor was abandoned. 



Other legislation, passed in 1965 and 1966 also strengthened the 

 pattern of Federal regulation. The Water Quality Act of 1965 

 strengthened the administrative organization of Federal pollution con- 

 trol by creating an Office of Assistant Secretary of HEW to admin- 

 ister the act, and a Federal Water Pollution Control Administration 

 to implement its instructions. It increased grants for construction, and 

 for development of techniques for handling the storm drainage/ 

 sewerline proljlem. It provided for the establishment of water quality 

 standards for interstate waters (the Secretary of HEW was to promul- 

 gate such standards in the absence of effective State action). It also 

 encouraged the use of the device of pollution conferences to stimulate 

 appropriate remedial action. 



Further recognition of the need for a concerted large-scale effort 

 to clean up the Nation's waterways came on February 28, 1966, when 

 President Johnson reorganized Federal water pollution control activi- 

 ties. The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration was trans- 

 ferred to the Department of the Interior: the Secretary of Health, 

 Education, and Welfare's responsibilities for public health aspects of 

 pollution control were rettained: and most other functions which had 

 belonged to HEW were transferred to Interior. The purposes of the 

 reorganization, according to the President, were to bring about elimi- 

 nation of duplication of activities, as well as to bring water pollution 

 control activities under the jurisdiction of the agency having respon- 

 •sibility for river-l)asin planning, multiple-purpose water and related 

 land resources projects, and water resources research.*^^ 



Another important measure was the Clean Water Restoration Act — 

 Public Law 89-753 — November 3, 1966, which expanded appropria- 



«2 This was H.R. 3610. introduced Jan. 29, 1959, by Representative Blatnik. 



"^Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1966. Prepared hy the President and transmitted to the 

 Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress, Feb. 28, 1966. In U.S. Congress. Sen- 

 ate. Committee on Government Operations. Reoreanization Plan No. 2 of 1966 (Water 

 Pollution Control). Hearings before the Subcommittee on Executive Reorganization of the 

 * * * on Reorganization Plan No. 3. of 1966. prepared in accordance with the provisions of 

 the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended and providing for reorganization of certain 

 water pollution control functions, Apr. 6 and 7, 1966, 89th Cong,, 2d sess. (Washington, 

 U.S. Government Printing Office, 1966). pp. 5-11. 



