Evening star., 1946-01-27
VirginiiaIndustry
Seeks, Changes
In Pollution Bill
Amendments Asked
Are Fur-Reuchinq:;
Moore Surprised
By ALEX. r. PRESTON,
Star Staff Correspondent.

RICHMOND, Jan. 26-Far-reach-
Ing changes in an antipollution bill
now pending before both houses of
the General Assembly have been
proposed by Virginia industry.
The proposals came as a surprise
to Delegate E. Blackburn Moore.
winchester and Clarke, patron of
the House bill and chairman of a
special subcommittee of the Vir-
ginia Advisory Legislative Council
that made an interim study of the
subject.
The amendments, which would
set up a water control board, are
listed on five and a half legal-size
pages. They were submitted by a.
committee of the Virginia Manu-.
facturers' Association.
Mr.. Moore said a number of
amendments seemed to be far
reaching. He added that he would
reserve judgment until he could
meet with other patrons of the
measure, including Delegate Nor
man c. Bailey, Orange. Mr.. Moore
said that during the study by his
commission last year special ef-
fort had been made to obtain the
views of industry. At that time no
objections were offered, he said.
Would Safeguard Waters.
The bill seeks to safeguard the
clean waters of the State from pol
luton, to prevent any increase in
pollution and to reduce pollution
existing when the law is enacted.
The House and Senate General
Laws Committee has scheduled a
public hearing on the bill Wednes-.
day because of the widespread in
terest in the subject. ...l
Changes suggested by industry
would strike out a section permit
ting the State Water Control Board
to adopt rules and regulations ap-
plicable throughout the State for
the installation, use and operation
of reasonable, practicable and avail
able systems for controlling, abat-
Ing and preventing pollution
through sewage, industrial and
other wastes and would amend the
penalty clause to provide a fine for
persons "willfully" violating the
act
Tuck and Darden Back Bill.
Both Gov. Tuck and his prede-
cessor, Gov. Darden, asked the pres
ent session to pass antipollution
laws. The Arlington-Fairfax Chap
ter, Izaak Walton League, has writ
ten Senator William D. Medley, Ar
hngton; Senator Andrew w. Clarke,
Y Alexandra, Fairfax and Prince
Williams, and Delegates j. May
nard Magruder and George Damn,
both Of Arlington, urging support of
the Moore bill. Garden clubs, other
sportsmen's organizations and the
tourist industry lobby have joined
in the plea of the conservationiStS to
clean up the States public waters. /
The Virginia Advisory Legislative
Subcommittee, which prepared the
plan, included three representatives
of industry. In many quarters it
was believed that this time Virginia
manufacturers might be willing to
go along with bill to control pol
luton, especially when the bill pro-
posed was moderate in comparison
with laws of other States and pro-
posed Federal legislation.
A number of other controversial
measures are to be considered next
week in committees and on the floors
of the two houses.
Would End Liquor Rationing.
Bills to end liquor rationing, to
limit interest on pawnbroker loans
to abolish the Board of Photographic
Examiners and to make "incurable"
insanity ground for divorce will be
among those in the legislative spot
light.
Of interest to Arlington County,
now considering plan to incor-
porate into a first class city, was a
bill introduced this week by Dele
gate j. ]. Williams, Henrico County,
to prohibit city from annexing
any territory from county which,
with any portion annexed in the 10
years preceding, would amount to 10
per cent of the assessed value of the
county. A Senate measure, intro
duced by Senator Bird of Chester
field, would prevent cities from an
nexing new territory if the city's
bonded Indebtedness exceeded 1876
per cent of the assessed value of the
city's taxable property.
Such annexation laws might de-
termine whether Arlington, if it be-
came a city, could expand into ad-
jacent Fairfax County.
Opposition to Gov. Tucks pro-
posal for an increase of l cent in the
gasoline tax, boosting the total to
cents, was announced today by the
Virginia Petroleum Industries Com
mittee, which asserted it was "un-
necessary and burdensome." Gov.
Tuck has combined his recommen-
dation for the increase with low
ering of the automobile license tax,
an increase in the truck license tax,
and repeal of the 2 per cent gross
receipts tax on trucking concerns.