234 The Plus Side of the Record 



lated land resource projects. If much remains to be accomplished, 

 let us acknowledge also that much worthwhile work has been done. 

 Let me point out as examples some of the steps that have been taken 

 towards organizing for more effective planning, co-ordination, and 

 execution of water resource programs. 



An Executive Order (Number 9384), issued in 1943, provided a 

 focus in the Bureau of the Budget for the orderly review and co-ordi- 

 nation of all public works projects originating within the Executive 

 Branch, including, of course, water resource projects. 



Also in 1943, the Federal Inter- Agency River Basin Committee 

 was established by informal agreement among the Bureau of Reclama- 

 tion, the Army Engineers, the Department of Agriculture, and the 

 Federal Power Commission. Later, the Department of Commerce, the 

 Federal Security Agency (now the Department of Health, Education, 

 and Welfare), and the Department of Labor joined the committee. 

 Through the committee, the federal agencies were able to co-operate 

 more fully in the preparation of reports on multiple-purpose water re- 

 source projects and to correlate their planning efforts. It operated 

 through notification of investigations, and the free exchange of data 

 and of advice concerning the participation of each agency. The com- 

 mittee also sponsored several technical subcommittees. The so-called 

 "Green Book," prepared by a subcommittee on benefits and costs in 

 May of 1950, is recognized by the resource agencies as a useful guide 

 for economic analyses of river basin projects. 



The effectiveness of the Federal Inter-Agency River Basin Com- 

 mittee was limited in that it was a voluntary group which operated on 

 the basis of the unanimous consent of its members. Moreover, it did 

 not have official recognition from either the Executive Office or the 

 Congress. To correct these deficiencies, and to take better advantage 

 of the usefulness of the committee approach, the Inter-Agency Com- 

 mittee on Water Resources was approved by President Eisenhower on 

 May 26, 1954. This committee enjoys formal recognition and support 

 by the Cabinet officers concerned and has the backing of the Presi- 

 dent. In addition, its operations have been improved by minimizing 

 procedural and administrative matters in order to free the time of the 

 principals for matters of broader interest. 



The purpose of the Inter-Agency Committee is substantially similar 



