An Act providing that the US district courts shall have jurisdiction of certain cases involving pollution of interstate river systems, and providing for the venue thereof
PL 87-830 (H.R.10617), enacted 10/15/1962

76 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 87-830--OCT. 15, 1962 
957 
Public Law 87-830 
A N A C T 
October 15, 1962 
Providing that the United States district courts shall have jurisdiction of certain —[H. R. I0bl7]— 
cases involving pollution of interstate river systems, and providing for the 
venue thereof. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the United 
u. s. district 
States district courts shall have original jurisdiction (concurrent with """/^fsdiction, 
that of the Supreme Court of the United States, and concurrent with interstate com-
that of any other court of the United States or of any State of the P«f ^^*«' P°^ 
_.^ . 
- ^ "
^ 
. 
. 
1 • 1 
, 1 
r>( 
/^ 
A 
i^i 
lution disputes. 
United States, m matters in which the Supreme Court, or any other 
court, has original jurisdiction) of any case or controversy— 
(1) which involves the construction or application of an inter-
state compact which (A) in whole or in part relates to the pollu-
tion of the waters of an interstate river system or any portion 
thereof, and (B) expresses the consent of the States signatory 
to said compact to be sued in a district court in any case or contro-
versy involving the application or construction thereof; and 
(2) which involves pollution of the waters of such river system, 
or any portion thereof, alleged to be in violation of the provisions 
of said compact; and 
(3) in which one or more of the States signatory to said compact 
is a plaintiff or plaintiffs; and 
(4) which is within the judicial power of the United States as 
set forth in the Constitution of the United States. 
(b) The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of a case 
or controversy such as is referred to in subsection (a) of this section, 
without any requirement, limitation, or regard as to the sum or value 
of the matter in controversy, or of the place of residence or situs or 
citizenship, or of the nature, character, or legal status, of any of the 
proper parties plaintiff or defendant in said case or controversy other 
than the signatory State or States plaintiff or plaintiffs referred to in 
paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this section: Provided, 
That 
nothing m this Act shall be construed as authorizing a State to sue its 
own citizens in said courts. 
(c) The original jurisdiction conferred upon the district courts 
b j this section shall include, but not be limited to, suits between States 
signatory to such interstate compact: Provided, That nothing in this 
Act shall be construed as authorizing a State to sue another State 
which is not a signatory to such compact in said courts. 
(d) The venue of such case or controversy shall be as prescribed 
venue. 
by law: Provided, That in addition thereto, such case or controversy 
may be brought in in any judicial district in which the acts of pollution 
complained of, or any portion thereof, occur, regardless of the place 
or places of residence, or situs, of any of the parties plaintiff or 
defendant. 
SEC. 2. If any part or application of this Act should be declared 
separability, 
invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, said invalidity shall not 
affect the other parts, or the other applications, of said Act. 
Approved October 15, 1962.