An Act to provide for the conservation of anthracite coal resources through measures of flood control and anthracite mine drainage, and for other purposes
PL 84-162 (H.R.7066), enacted 07/15/1955

352 
PUBLIC LAW 162-JULY 15, 1955 
[69 ST A T . 
Exceptions. 
SO u s e 881 note. 
F u n d s for ad-
vance planning. 
65 Stat. 364. 
31 u s e 723. 
Re imbursement 
of owners and ten-
ants. 
68 Stat. 562. 
68 Stat. 562. 
M e s s facilities 
for barracks. 
Leasing of hous-
ing facilities. 
approved prior to October 1, 1951, and not superseded or otherwise 
modified by a later authorization are repealed, except (1) authoriza-
tions for public works and for appropriations therefor that are set 
forth in such Acts in the titles that contain the general provisions, (2) 
authorizations for military public works projects as to which appro-
priated funds shall have been obligated in whole or in part prior to 
July 1, 1956, and authorizations for appropriations therefor, and (3) 
the authorizations with respect to military public works and the 
appropriation of funds that are contained in the National Defense 
Facilities Act of 1950 (64 Stat. 829). 
SEC. 512. Section 504 of Public Law 155, Eighty-second Congress, 
is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 504. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated without 
fiscal year limitation, funds for advance planning, construction design, 
and architectural services in connection with public works projects 
which are not otherw^ise authorized by law." 
SEC. 513. (a) The first sentence of section 501 (b) of the Act entitled 
"An Act to authorize certain construction at military and naval instal-
lations, and for other purposes", approved September 28, 1951 (65 
Stat. 36), is amended by striking out "used by such owners and tenants 
for residential or agricultural purposes,". 
(b) The first sentence of section 401 (b) of the Act entitled "An Act 
to authorize certain construction at military and naval installations, 
and for other purposes", approved July 14, 1952 (66 Stat. 606), is 
amended by striking out "used by such owner and tenants for resi-
dential or agricultural purposes,". 
SEC. 614. None of the authorization contained in section 101 of this 
Act for the construction of three-hundred-and-twenty-six-man bar-
racks with mess shall be used to provide, with respect to any such bar-
racks, for mess facilities other than a single, consolidated mess. 
SEC. 515. During the fiscal years 1956 and 1957 the Secretaries of the 
Army, Navy, and Air Force, respectively, are authorized to lease 
housing facilities at or near military tactical installations for assign-
ment as public quarters to military personnel and their dependents 
without rental charge upon a determination by the Secretary of De-
fen'se or his designee that there is a lack of adequate housing facilities 
at or near such military tactical installations: Provided^ That not more 
than one thousand housing units may be so leased and the rental cost 
to the Government for any housing unit may not exceed $150 per 
month. 
Approved July 15, 1955. 
July 15,1955 
[H. R. 7066] 
Public Law 162 
CHAPTER 369 
AN ACT 
To provide for the conservation of anthracite coal resources through measures of 
flood control and anthracite mine drainage, and for other purposes. 
Anthracite mine 
drainage. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled., That it is hereby 
recognized that the presence of large volumes of water in anthracite 
coal formations involves serious wastage of the fuel resources of the 
Nation, and constitutes a menace to health and safety and national 
security. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the Congress to 
69 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 162-JULY 15, 1955 
353 
provide for the control and drainage of water in the anthracite coal 
formations and thereby conserve natural resources, promote national 
security, prevent injuries and loss of life, and preserve public and 
private property. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in order to carry 
out the above-mentioned purposes, to make financial contributions 
on the basis of programs or projects approved by the Secretary, to 
the (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (hereinafter designated as the 
"(Commonwealth'-) for control and drainage of water which, if not so 
controlled or drained, will cause the flooding of anthracite coal forma-
tions, said contributions to be applied to the cost of drainage works, 
])umping plants, and related facilities but subject, however, to the 
jfollowing conditions and limitations: 
(a) The amounts authorized to be contributed by the Secretary of 
the Interior to the (Commonwealth shall be equally matched by the 
Commonwealth; 
(b) The total amount of contributions by the Secretary of the In-
terior under the authority of this Act shall not exceed $8,500,000; 
(c) The amounts contributed by the Secretary of the Interior under 
the authority of this Act and the equally matched amounts contributed 
by the Commonwealth shall not be used for operating and maintaining 
projects constructed pursuant to this Act; 
(d) The Commonwealth shall have full responsibility for installing, 
operating, and maintaining projects constructed pursuant to this Act, 
and shall give evidence, satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior, 
that it will enforce effective installation, operation, and maintenance 
safeguards; and 
(e) Projects constructed pursuant to this Act shall be so located, 
operated, and maintained as to provide the maximum conservation 
of anthracite coal resources and, where possible, to avoid creating 
inequities among those mines which may be affected by the waters to 
be controlled thereby. 
SEC. 3. The Commonwealth shall furnish to the Secretary of the 
Interior a statement with respect to the project showing work done, 
the status of the project, expenditures and amounts obligated, at such 
times and in such detail as the Secretary of the Interior shall require 
for the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 4. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior, after reasonable 
notice and opportunity for hearing, finds that there is a failure to 
expend funds m accordance with the terms and conditions governing 
the Federal contribution for such approved projects, he shall notify 
the Commonwealth that further payments will not be made to the 
Commonwealth from appropriations under this Act until he is satis-
fied that there will no longer be any such failure. Until he is so satis-
fied the Secretary of the Interior shall withhold the payment of any 
financial contributions to the Commonwealth. 
SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Interior shall render to Congress on 
or before the first day of February of each year for four consecutive 
years, commencing on or before February 1, 1957, a report of the 
progress and accomplishments of the program provided for bv this 
Act. 
SEC. 6. There is hereby authorized to be ai)propriated such amounts 
as may be necessary to carry out the ])rovisions of this Act. 
Approved July 15, 1955. 
U. S. c ontribu-
tions to Pennsyl-
vania. 
M a t c h i n g 
mounts. 
I n s t a l l a tions, 
etc. 
Statement. 
Withholding of 
payments. 
Report 
gress. 
to Con-
Appropriation. 
Poat, p. 460. 
54402 O - 55 - 23