Evening star., 1948-04-21
P|anningGroups
Urged 10 Join in
Pollution Fight
Potomac Bosin 1CC
Sees New Problems
In Suburban Growth
By james BirchfieId
stnr stnff correspondent

Stor Stoff Correspondent
HARRISBURG, Pa, April 21.-
The Interstate Commission on the
Potomac River Basin was on record
today as approving closer co-opera-
ton between planning agencies IN
the Washington area to prevent In
creased pollution as a result OF
suburban development.
At the closing session Of the COM
mission here yesterday, John Nolen,
ir. director of planning for the
National Park and Planning Com
mission, called for closer collabora-
ton between metropolitan planners
and sanitary agencies so that SAN
itarv policies could be based on
comprehensive plans for land and
water use and population distribu-
ton.
Mr.. Nolen pointed out that in the
Washington area problems still need
to be worked out between Maryland
and Virginia where new develop
ments of suburban areas are ex-
tending into stream valley tribu-
taries of the Potomac.
Points to Future Problems.
These spreading developments, he
said, may present major problems
of pollution control in the future
If planning is allowed to lag.
Mr.. Nolen said estimates OF de-
sirable future population distribu-
tion in the different drainage areas
of the metropolitan region will be
available soon and could be used to
determine the nature and extent OF
sewage disposal plans 1t also is
possible. he added, that partlcu-
larly expensive of involved sewage
disposal problems might call for
a division of land use and popula-
ton distribution patterns.
If known in advance, he said. nec-
essary changes in land use could be
made through zoning and other
controls before the problems became
acute. He suggested that the COM
mission undertake study of urban
areas and the problems arising from
the trend toward decentralization
of new housing developments.
Asserting that the commission has
now reached the stage in its devel-
opment where it can give valuable
assistance to municipalities and in
dustries on pollution control prob
lens, Maryland State Senator L.
Harold Sothoron of Prince Georges
County, called on the group to CO.
operate closely with various groups
in the basin.
Additional Funds Needed.
This work will call for more
funds" Senator Sothoron said. Il
suggest that we request additional
funds from member States and the
Federal Government in order to do
a better Job of pollution abatement.
"As far as Maryland is concerned"
he added, her S4,500 contribution to
the commission has been returned
many times in dividends to the
State"
The commission agreed to request
a third increase in contributions
from member States and propor-
tionate increase from the Federal
Government.
This would increase total State
contributions from $4,000 to S240 900
and the Government would be re-
quested to raise it's contribution
from the $4,000 included in the
budget for the next fiscal year, to
$4,000
Finance Committee members said
the Government has indicated that
its contributions to the commission
would, in the future, be roughly half
of the amount coming from State
members. The Governments con-
tribution for next year is the first
Federal funds provided since the
commission compact was set up in
1941
Figures Listed.
The present State contributions
and the proposed increases are as
follows:
Maryland. s4,50O to $4,000; Vir-
ginia, $500 to $4,000; West Vir-
ginia, $2,7O0 to $4,000; Pennsylvania,
$1,000 to S2,400. and the District of
Columbia, S5,400 to $1,000. The
compact provides that State con-
tributions may not exceed a total
of $4,000.
The commission also proposed to
contact various foundations on pos
sible research programs for the
basin. 1t was suggested that studies
might be made of such subjects as
development of rivers through the
compact method, methods of financ-
ing treatment plants, studies of
stream recovery, the value of small.
upstream dams in pollution control
and the value of reforestation and
land use in erosion control
l.. M. Fisher of the Public Health
Service said the service has avail
able funds for research programs.
He said the service is interested
only in pure research and will give
consideration to any project that
promises to develop new facts.
At Joint meeting of the COM
mission and representatives of the
Pennsylvania Sanitary Water Board,
plans were worked out whereby the
commission will act as a clearing
house, passing on information de-
VelODed in one State to control