Evening star., 1947-12-07
River Pollution
Reduction Plans
ToBeDiscussed
Interstate Commission
Holds Winter Session
Here This Week
By james BirchfieId

Plans that are expected to lead
to further abatement Of river pollu-
ton in the Washington metropolitan
area will be discussed here this week
during the winter meeting of the
Interstate Commission on the Po-
tomac River Basin.
Considered one of the most i'm
portant meetings in the commits
sions history, members representing
Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia,
Pennsylvania, the District and the
Federal Government will attempt to
find means by which an abatement
program may be conducted CO.
operatively In this area at reduced
costs.
The meeting originally was sched-
uled for Harrisburg, Pa, but was
transferred to Washington because
Of the urgency for a sound pollution
abatement program here. Sessions
will be held Thursday and Friday
at the Mayfower Hotel.
Still Long Way to Go.
Although much already has been
accomplished in the Washington
area, particularly in Maryland
where an agreement was reached
more than a year ago by which
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission will discharge sewage
for treatment into the Districts
lines, commission members feel
there still is long way to go.
The problem in this area was
highlighted a short time ago when
officials at the National Airport re-
quested that steps be taken to clean
the waters of Four Mile Run, at
the south end of the airfield.
Untreated and partially treated
sewage from Arlington County and
Alexandria, dumped into the run,
is a threat to the fire control sys-
tenn at the airfield, officials pointed
out. Water for the fire control sys-
tenn is pumped from Four Mile Run.
In addition to seeking co-opera-
tive means of relieving the Metro
politan area pollution, the Com
will meet jointly with
of the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
to discuss the formation OF
a Washington Metropolitan Re
sources Committee. This will func-
ton on a planning level.
Kemp to Speak Friday.
One of the highlights Of this
weeks sessions will be an address
Friday morning by Harold A. Kemp,
District sanitary engineer and vice
chairman of the commission, on
The Need for COOPERATIVE Plan
ming in the Washington Metropoli-
tan Area
Mr.. Kemp's address will be fol-
owed by a discussion of conditions
IN this area and reports from
neighboring areas.
The sessions will open Thursday
when Raymond V. Long,
head of the Virginia Planning Board
and commission chairman, will well
come newly-appointed commission
members from Pennsylvania. These
members, recently massed by Gov.
Duff, are Orus j. Matthews, State
secretary of commerce; Milo F.
Draemel, secretary of the Forest and
Waters Board, and Herbert P. Sorg,
member of the Pennsylvania Cen
eral Assembly.
Gov. Lane Will Speak.
Gov. Lane of Maryland is sched-
uled to present statements OF ap-
probation to former commission
chairmen. These include Senator
O'Conor, Democrat, of Maryland,
who as Governor of that State
served as the first commission chair
man; former West Virginia State
Senator George H. Williams, and
State Senator L. Harold
Sothoron of Prince Georges County.
Following the presentations, Sen
ator O'Conor will discuss THE
Potomac River Basin Compact-Its
Reason for Agreement
and Objectives."
Thursday afternoon commission
members will inspect the District
sewage disposal plant at Blue Plains,
and that night will attend dinner
in the Mayf1ower's Pan-American
Room.