An Act to provide for a comprehensive review of national water resource problems and programs, and for other purposes
PL 90-515 (S.20), enacted 09/26/1968

868 
PUBLIC LAW 90-515-SEPT. 26, 1968 
Public Law 90-515 
[82 STAT. 
September26, 1968 
A N A C T 
^^' ^^^ 
To provide for la comprehensive review of national water resource problems and 
programs, and for other purposes. 
National Water 
Commission Act. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may 
be cited as the "National Water Commission Act". 
Membership. 
Compensation. 
Travel pay. 
80 Stat. 499. 
Executive 
Director. 
Reports to 
President and 
Congress. 
T H E NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION 
SEC. 2. (a) There is established the National Water Commission 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"). 
(b) The Commission shall be composed of seven members who 
shall be appointed by the President and serve at his pleasure. No mem-
ber of the Commission shall, during his period of service on the Com-
mission, hold any other position as an officer or employee of the United 
States, except as a retired officer or retired civilian employee of the 
United States. 
(c) The President shall designate a Chairman of the Commission 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Chairman") from among its members. 
(d) Members of the Commission may each be compensated at the 
rate of $100 for each day such member is engaged in the actual per-
formance of duties vested in the Commission. Each member shall be 
reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of sub-
sistence, as authorized by 5 U.S.C., sec. 5703, for persons in the Gov-
ernment service employed intermittently. 
(e) The Commission shall have an Executive Director, who shall 
be appointed by the Chairman with the approval of the Commission 
and shall be compensated at the rate determined by the L^.S. Civil 
Service Commissioners. The Executive Director shall have such duties 
and responsibilities as the Chairman may assign. 
DUTIES OF T H E 
COMMISSION 
SEC. 3. (a) The Commission shall (1) review present and anticipated 
national water resource problems, making such projections of water 
requirements as may be necessary and identifying alternative ways of 
meeting these requirements—^givin^ consideration, among 
other 
things, to conservation and more efficient use of existing supplies, in-
creased usability by reduction of pollution, innovations to encourage 
the highest economic use of water, interbasin transfers, and tech-
nological advances including, but not limited to, desalting, weather 
modification, and waste water purification and reuse; (2) consider 
economic and social consequences of water resource development, in-
cluding, for example, the impact of water resource development on 
regional economic growth, on institutional arrangements, and on 
esthetic values affecting the quality of life of the American people; 
and (3) advise on such specific water resource matters as may be 
referred to it by the President and the Water Resources Council. 
(b) The Commission shall consult with the Water Resources Council 
regarding its studies and shall furnish its proposed reports and rec-
ommendations to the Council for review and comment. The Commis-
sion shall submit simultaneously to the President and to the United 
States Congress such interim and final reports as it deems appropriate, 
and the Council shall submit simultaneously to the President and to 
the United States Congress its views on the Commission's reports. The 
President shall transmit the Commission's final report to the Congress 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-515-SEPT. 26, 1968 
869 
together with such comments and recommendations for legislation as 
he deems appropriate. 
(c) The Commission shall terminate not later than five years from ^Jermination 
the effective date of this Act. 
date. 
42 u s e 1962b-
1962b-6. 
POWERS OF THE COMMISSION 
SEC. 4. (a) The Commission may (1) hold such hearings, sit and act 
at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evi-
dence as it may deem advisable; (2) acquire, furnish, and equip such 
office space as is necessary; (3) use the United States mails m the 
same manner and upon the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States; (4) without regard to the civil service 
laws and regulations and without regard to 5 U.S.C., ch. 51, employ 
5*\j|'i^*ri'*oii 
and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to 5115. 
carry out the functions of the Commission; (5) procure services as 
authorized by 5 U.S.C, sec. 3109, at rates not to exceed $100 per diem 
so stat. 416. 
for individuals; (6) purchase, hire, operate, and maintain passenger 
motor vehicles; (7) enter into contracts or agreements for studies and 
surveys with public and private organizations and transfer funds to 
Federal agencies and river basin commissions created pursuant to 
title I I of the Water Resources Planning Act to carry out such aspects 
^^ ^tat. 246 
of the Commission's functions as the Commission determines can 
best be carried out in that manner; and (8) incur such necessary 
expenses and exercise such other powers as are consistent with and 
reasonably required to perform its functions under this title. 
(b) Any member of the Commission is authorized to administer 
oaths when it is determined by a majority of the Commission that 
testimony shall be taken or evidence received under oath. 
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CHAIRMAN 
SEC. 5. (a) Subject to general policies adopted by the Commission, 
the Chairman shall be the chief executive of the Commission and shall 
exercise its executive and administrative powers as set forth in section 
4(a) (2) through section 4(a) (8). 
(b) The Chairman may make such provision as he shall deem 
appropriate authorizing the performance of any of his executive and 
administrative functions by the Executive Director or other personnel 
of the Commission. 
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES 
S E C 6. (a) The Commission may, to the extent practicable, utilize 
the services of the Federal water resource agencies. 
(b) Upon request of the Commission, the head of any Federal de-
partment or agency or river basin commission created pursuant to 
title I I of the Water Resources Planning Act is authorized (1) to 
furnish to the Commission, to the extent permitted by law and within 
the limits of available funds, including funds transferred for that pur-
pose pursuant to section 4(a) (7) of this Act, such information as may 
be necessary for carrying out its functions and as may be available to 
or procurable by such department or agency, and (2) to detail to 
temporary duty with this Commission on a reimbursable basis such 
personnel within his administrative jurisdiction as it may need or 
believe to be useful for carrying out its functions, each such detail to 
be without loss of seniority, pay, or other employee status. 
(c) Financial and administrative services (including those related ^^,,^^^^^^^^„^^ 
to budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, personnel, and procure- servic'es^y 
ment) shall be provided the Commission by the General Services GSA. 
Administration, for which payment shall be made in advance, or by 
Financial and 
administrative 
870 
PUBLIC LAW 90-516-SEPT. 26, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
80 Stat. 477-
reimbursement from funds of the Commission in such amounts as 
may be agreed upon by the Chairman of the Commission and the 
Administrator of General Services: Provided^ That the regulations of 
the General Services Administration for the collection of indebtedness 
of personnel resulting from erroneous payments (5 U.S.C, sec. 5514) 
shall apply to the collection of erroneous payments made to or on be-
half of a Commission employee, and regulations of said Administrator 
for the administrative control of funds (31 U.S.C. 665 (g)) shall apply 
to appropriations of the Commission: And provided further^ That the 
Commission shall not be required to prescribe such regulations. 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 7. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated not to exceed 
$5,000,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
Approved September 26, 1968. 
September 26, 1968 
[S. 220] 
Public Law 90-516 
AN ACT 
To authorize the sale of certain public lands. 
Public lands. 
Sale. 
Contiguous 
landowners, 
preference right. 
Acreage limi-
tation. 
Expiration 
date. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Reprei^'entatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary 
of the Interior is authorized, on his own motion or on application 
of an owner of contiguous lands, and upon a finding that it is not 
needed for public purposes, to sell at public auction any tract of public 
domain not exceeding one hundred and twenty acres that has been 
or is now subject to unintentional trespass, as determined by the 
Secretary, and that contains some land which has been or can be 
put to cultivation but which is insufficient because of climatic, topo-
graphic, ecologic, soil, or other factors to justify a classification 
as proper for disposal under the homestead or desert land laws. 
Except as provided in section 2 hereof, the tract shall be sold to the 
highest bidder. Except as provided in section 3 hereof, no tract shall 
be sold for less than its appraised fair market value. 
SEC. 2. For a period of thirty days from the day the high bid 
is received, any owner of contiguous lands shall have a preference right 
to buy the tract at such highest bid price. If two or more contiguous 
owners assert the preference right, the Secretary is authorized to 
make such division of the land among the applicants as he deems 
equitable. 
SEC. 3. If a person who has a preference right under section 2 of 
this Act is the purchaser of land sold pursuant to this Act, he shall 
not be required to pay for any values he or his predecessors in interest 
have added to the land. However, nothing in this Act shall relieve 
any person from liability to the United States for unauthorized 
use of the land prior to conveyance of title by the United States. 
SEC. 4. No person may acquire from the Secretary more than 
one hundred and twenty acres of land under the provisions of this 
Act. 
SEC. 5. The authority granted by this Act shall expire three years 
from the date of the passage of th* Act, but sales for which applica-
tion has been made in accordance with this Act prior to the ex-
piration of the three years may be consummated and patents may 
be issued in connection therewith after the three-year period. 
Approved September 26, 1968.