Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-22
K ~
State Financial
Aid 10 Combat
|PolIutionUrged
Commission Coils
1t Fruitful Step in
Potomac Cleanup
BY JOHN w. STEP

tant and fruitful" step toward
cleaning up the streams of the
Potomac watershed.
The Interstate Commission
on the Potomac River Basin
reached this conclusion after
special committee studies that
have lasted almost a year..
Basis for the suggestion
one Of several--was the inabiI.
ity Of municipalities to find
the resources to meet the large
financial burden required to
build the pollution abatement
works they lack.
Note Aid Programs
The Commission noted that
two Of the i've Potomac water.
shed States have community.
aid programs Of sorts. DennsyI.
vania operates q program Of
limited subsidies. Virginia has
established a Debt Commission
to help municipalities finance
projects and receive legal aid.
In any case, additional State
aid is indicated. the Commits
sion report said, since the
financial grant program estab-
lished by the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act Of 1856
is only fine so far as it goes
which isn't far enough.
On the question Of whether
1t should be bestowed enforce.
ment authority to abate pollu.
ton in any of its member
Jurisdictions, the interstate
body asserted it fears very
little real value would come
out Of it except for the moral
effect Of interstate action
against a polluter." Here again,
the matter Of finances figured.
ut can probably be shown
that wherever State action has
failed to bring about improve
ment, the reasons are financial.
Added power in the hands Of
the interstate commission will
have no beneficial effect on the
financial resources Of munich.
palities affected by State poll
luton abatement orders"
At the same time, the Com
missioners urged lifting Of the
existing $4,000 ceiling on APP
preparations provided by the
four States, the District Of
Columbia and the Federal Gov
eminent to keep the interstate
body going with its educational
work.
This would not mean, 1t was
pointed out. that each contrib
utor would be asked to kick in
bigger proportionate shares. Il
would. however. provide for
added support from the juris-
dictions from which the great.
est sympathy for the Commits
sion's work comes" The report
did not say where these best
sources Of sympathy lie.
Cite Federal Stake
In further regard to the a.
nancial problem. the Commits
sion observed there is sound
argument for a material in
crease in Federal participation"
to support the organizations
activities"
Most persuasive Of these
arguments is that the condi-
ton Of the Potomac at the
Federal City is Of unique i'm.
portance" to the United States.
In recent years and in In
creasing numbers, members Of
Congress and many Federal
officials have acknowledged the
Governments stake in the river
in the Washington area.
The Commission said, how.
ever. it rejects suggestions from
some quarters that the Federal
Government should take over
the entire burden of finance to
rectify the river in the Metro.
politan area.
Further Conclusions
Among considerations nom
financial. the body reached
these further conclusions:
p There should be interstate
agreement on water uses and
the establishment of Suit
able standards" to be fixed in
equitable fashion by the Conn
mission. BY providing adequate
guidance" of this sort, State
pollution control agencies
would be placed in a stronger
position to direct their respec.
tive programs and enforce such
standards under State law"
the report stated.
2. Singing out the Washing
ton Metropolitan Area again,
the report suggested that this
might be treated as a spot"
problem area with a special set
OF river quality standards
drawn to apply specifically
here. Thus. with appropriate
support of state control aeen-
cies, protection OF the Wash
ington water supply could be
assured.
In this connection further,
the Commission added, the
the Washington Engineer Dis
trict Of the Army Engineer
Corps-which is responsible for
a pure and adequate water sup
ply for the Nations Capital
might be given increased au-
thority to control upriver de-
velopments that would endan-
ger the supply. This authority
could be exercised in such man.
ner as issuing permits to upriv-
" developers and to have in
junctive powers to halt activi-
ties that might harm the water
supply.
3. A broadened scope TO in
clude all problems Of the wa
tershed was urged to be oven
the Commission. Its present