Joint resolution consenting to an extension and renewal of the interstate compact to conserve oil and gas
PL 92-322 (S.J.Res.72), enacted 06/30/1972

86 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
383 
June 30, 1972 
[S. J. R e s . 72] 
Public Law 92-322 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Consenting to an extension and renewal of the interstate compact to conserve 
oil and gas. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled. That the consent of Congress 
^ii and gas con-
. 
1 
I - " . 
, 
, "^ . 
1 
I P 
- i P i i 
servation compact. 
IS hereby given to an extension and renewal tor a period ot three years 
Extension and 
from September 1, 1971, to September 1, 1974, of the interstate com- renewal. 
pact to conserve oil and gas, as amended,, which was signed in its initial 
form in the city of Dallas, Texas, the 16th day of February 1935. by the 
representatives of Oklahoma, Texas, California, and New Mexico, 
and at the same time and place was signed by the representatives, as 
a recommendation for approval to the Governors and legislatures 
of the States of Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, and Michi-
gan, and which, prior to August 27, 1935, was presented to and 
approved by the legislatures and Governors of the States of New 
Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas, and which 
so approved by the six States last above named was deposited in the 
Department of State of the United States, and thereafter was con-
sented to by the Congress in Public Eesolution Numbered 64, Seventy-
fourth Congress, approved August 27,1935, for a period of two years, 
and thereafter was extended by the representatives of the compacting 
States and consented to by the Congress for successive periods, without 
interruption, the last extension being for the period from September 1, 
1969, to September 1, 1971, consented to by Congress by Public Law 
Numbered 91-158, Ninety-first Congress, approved December 24,1969. 
The agreement to amend, extend, and renew said compact effective 
September 1, 1971, dul}^ executed by representatives of the States 
of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, 
Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missis-
sippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North 
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, 
Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming has been deposited in the 
Department of State of the United States, and reads as follows: 
"AN AGEEEMENT TO AMEND, EXTEND AND RENEW T H E 
INTERSTATE COMPACT TO CONSERVE OIL AND GAS 
"WHEREAS, on the 16th day of February, 1935, in the City of 
Dallas, Texas, there was executed 'An Interstate Compact to Conserve 
Oil and Gas' w^hich was thereafter formally ratified and approved by 
the States of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Colorado and 
Kansas, the original of which is now on deposit with the Department 
of State of the United States; 
"WHEREAS, effective as of September 1,1971, the several compact-
ing states deem it advisable to amend said compact so as to provide 
that upon the giving of Congressional consent thereto in its amended 
form, said Compact will remain in effect until Congress withdraws 
such consent; 
"WHEREAS, the original of said Compact as so amended will, 
upon execution thereof, be deposited promptly with the Department 
of State of the United States, a true copy of which follows: 
49 Stat. 939. 
83 Stat. 436. 
384 
PUBLIC LAW 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
"^\N 
IXTERSTATE 
COMPACT 
TO 
CONSERVE 
OIL 
AND 
GAS 
"'ARTICLE I 
" 'This agreement may become effective within any compacting 
state at any time as prescribed by that state, and shall become effective 
within those states ratifying it whenever any three of the States of 
Texas, Oklahoma, California, Kansas and New Mexico have ratified 
and Congress has given its consent. Any oil-producing state may 
l>ecome a party hereto as hereinafter provided. 
" 'ARTICLE 
I I 
•'•The purpose of this compact is to conserve oil and gas by the 
prevention of physical waste thereof from any cause. 
• 
"'ARTICLE 
I I I 
•' •Each state bound hereby agrees that within a reasonable time it 
will enact laws, or if the laws have been enacted, then it agrees to con-
, >
.
> u.' V tinue the same in force, to accomplish within reasonable limits the 
prevention of: 
" '(a) The operation of any oil well with an inefficient gas-oil 
ratio. 
" 'j^b) The drowning with water of any stratum capable of 
; •; 
producing oil or gas, or both oil and gas, in paying quantities. 
" '(c) The avoidable escape into the open air or the wasteful 
burning of gas from a natural gas well. 
' " ( d ) The creation of unnecessary fire hazards. 
"'(e) The drilling, equipping, locating, spacing or operating 
of a well or wells so as to bring about physical waste of oil or gas 
or loss in the ultimate recovery thereof. 
" '(f) The inefficient, excessive or improper use of the reservoir 
energy in producing any well. 
•' •The enumeration of the foregoing subjects shall not limit the 
scope of the authority of any state. 
" 'ARTICLE IV 
*' •Each state bound hereby agrees that it will, within a reasonable 
time, enact statutes, or if such statutes have been enacted then that it 
will continue the same in force, providing in effect that oil produced 
in violation of its valid oil and/or gas conservation statutes or any 
valid rule, order or regulation promulgated thereunder, shall be denied 
access to commerce; and providing for stringent penalties for the 
waste of either oil or gas. 
" 'ARTICLE V 
" 'It is not the purpose of this compact to authorize the states joining 
herein to limit the production of oil or gas for the purpose of stabiliz-
ing or fixing the price thereof, or create or perpetuate monopoly, or 
to promote regimentation, but is limited to the purpose of conserving 
oil and gas and preventing the avoidable waste thereof within rea-
sonable limitations. 
86 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
385 
" 'ARTICLE 
VI 
" 'Each state joining- herein shall appoint one representative to a 
commission hereby constituted and designated as T H E INTEK-
STATE OIL COMPACT COMMISSION, the duty of which said 
Commission shall be to make inquiry and ascertain from time to time 
such methods, practices, circumstances, and conditions as may be dis-
closed for bringing about conservation and the prevention of physical 
waste of oil and gas, and at such intervals as said Commission deems 
beneficial it shall report its findings and recormnendations to the sev-
eral states for adoption or rejection. 
" 'The Commission shall have powei- to recommend the cooidination 
of the exercise of the police powers of the several states within their 
several jurisdictions to promote the maximum ultimate recovery from 
the petroleum i-eserves of said states, and to recommend measures foi-
the maximum ultimate recovery of oil and gas. Said Commission shall 
organize and adopt suitable rules and regulations for the conduct of 
its business. 
" 'No action shall be taken by the Commission except: (1) By the 
affirmative votes of the majority of the whole number of the compact-
ing states represented at any meeting, and (2) by a concurring vote 
of a majority in interest of the compacting states at said meeting, such 
interest to be determined as follows: Such vote of each state shall be 
in the decimal proportion fixed by the ratio of its daily average pro-
duction during the preceding calendar half-year to the daily average 
production of the compacting states during said period. 
"'ARTICLE 
VII 
" 'No state by joining lierein shall become financially obligated to 
any other state, nor shall the breach of the terms hereof by any state 
subject such state to financial responsibility to the other states joining 
herein. 
" 'ARTICLE VIII 
" 'This compact shall continue in effect until Congress withdraws its 
consent. But any state joining herein may, upon sixty (60) days' 
notice, withdraw herefrom. 
" 'The representatives of the signatory states have signed this agree-
ment in a single original w^hich shall be deposited in the archives of 
the Department of State of the United States, and a duly certified 
copy shall be forwarded to the governor of each of the signatorj-
states. 
" 'This compact shall become effective when ratified and approved 
as provided in Article T. Any oil-producing state may become a party 
thereto by affixing its signature to a counterpart to be similarly 
deposited, certified, and ratified. 
" 'Done in the City of Dallas, Texas, this sixteenth day of February, 
1935.' 
"WHEEEAS, the said 'Interstate Compact to Conserve Oil and 
Gas' in its initial form has heretofore been duly renewed and extended 
with the consent of the Congress to September 1, 1971; and 
"WHEREAS, it is desired to amend said 'Interstate Compact to 
Conserve Oil and Gas' effective September 1, 1971, and to renew and 
extend said compact as so amended: 
386 
PUBLIC LAW 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
"NOW, THEREFORE, T H I S WRITING W I T N E S S E T H : 
"It is hereby agreed that effective September 1, 1971, the Compact 
entitled 'An Interstate Compact to Conserve Oil and Gas' executed 
within the City of Dallas, Texas, on the 16th day of February, 1935, 
and now on deposit with the Department of State of the United States, 
be and the same is hereby amended by amending the first paragraph 
of Article VIII thereof to read as follows: 
" 'This compact shall continue in effect until Congress with-
draws its consent. But any state joining herein may, upon sixty 
(60) days" notice, withdraw herefrom.' 
and that said compact as so amended be. and the same is hereby 
renewed and extended. This agreement shall become eft'ecti\e when 
executed, ratified, and approved as provided in Article I of said com-
pact as so amended. 
"The signatory States have executed this agi-eement in a single 
original which shall be deposited in the archives of the Department of 
vState of the United States and a duly certified copy thereof shall be 
forwarded to the Governor of each of the signatory States. Any oil-
producing State may become a party hereto by executing a counterpart 
of this agreement to be similarly deposited, certified, and ratified. 
"Executed by the several undersigned States, at thieir several State 
capitols, through their proper officials on the dates as shown, as duly 
authoi'ized by statutes and resolutions, subject to the limitations and 
(jualifications of the acts of the respective State Legislatures. 
•THE STATE OF ALABAMA 
By 
(jrovenior 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OP ALASKA 
By 
Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
- 
"THE STATE OF ARIZONA 
By 
Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF ARKANSAS 
By 
^, Governor 
Dated : 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF COLORADO 
By 
. 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
^ 
,^ , 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
'- .• 
•THE STATE OF FLORIDA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
86 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC L
A
W 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
387 
•THE STATE OF ILLINOIS 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF INDIANA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF KANSAS 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF KENTUCKY 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF LOUISIANA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF MARYLAND 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF MICHIGAN 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF MONTANA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•^THE STATE OF NEBRASKA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
•THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
388 
PUBLIC L
A
W 92-322-JUNE 30, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
1.1 
"THB STATE OF NEW YORK 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
— 
Secretary of State 
(SBAL) 
"THE STATE OF OHIO 
.^ 
. 
By 
- 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
*'' -rr/ r> 
ui 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SBAL) 
"THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA 
/-^ 
^ ' v r 
•1'^ 
H = 
By 
, 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF TENNESSEE 
'''^.IV. 
't'' •jrVi/lH 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF TEXAS 
:> '. >
^ •/ 
* 
^ 
-
By 
. 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF UTAH 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
, 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA• 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL) 
"THE STATE OF WYOMING 
By 
, Governor 
Dated: 
Attest: 
Secretary of State 
(SEAL)" 
86 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-323-JUNE 30, 1972 
389 
SEC. 2. (a) The Attorney General of the United States shall make a g,^;^."* ^^ ^*"'" 
report to Congress not later than two years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act as to whether the activities of the Interstate Oil 
Compact Commission and the States under the provisions of such 
compact have been consistent with the purposes as set out in Article V 
of such compact, and have been limited to activities related directly 
to the immediate purpose of such compact as set out in Article I I of 
such compact. 
(b) Section 2 of Public Law 185, Eighty-fourth Congress (69 Stat. 
Repeal. 
391) is hereby repealed. 
SEC. 3. The right to alter, amend, or repeal the provisions of the first 
section of this joint resolution is hereby expressly reserved. 
Approved June 30, 1972. 
Public Law 92-323 
AN ACT 
June 30, 1972 
To amend the cruise legislation of the Merchant Marine Act, li)80. 
TH. R. 9552] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 613 of 
Passenger 
the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 TT.S.C. 1183), is ""JJtiVa.on 
amended as follows: 
cruises. 
(a) Subsection (b) is amended as follows: 
82^stat? 2*48;' 
(IA) By striking out "effective before January 2, 1960, is re- 84Stat.'2i5. 
(juired for at least one-third of each year, but not" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "effective before January 2,1960, is not required . 
(B) By striking out " (1) on such service, route, or line for such 
part of each year" and inserting in lieu thereof "(1) on such serv-
ice, route, or line for some part or no part of each year". 
(C) By striking out "(2) on cruises for all or part of the re-
mainder of each year" and inserting in lieu thereof " (2) on cruises 
for all or part of each year". 
(b) Subsection (d) is amended as follows: 
(A) By inserting after the numeral "(1)" the words "except as 
provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection" and a comma. 
(B) By inserting a new subsection (4) to read as follows: 
"(4) Any other provisions of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, 
^9 stat. i985. 
or of the Shipping Act, 1916, to the contrary notwithstanding, 
Wst^u^ni.' 
with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, it may carry 
46 use 842. 
cargo and mail between ports to the extent such carriage is not in 
direct competition with a carrier offering United States-flag 
berth service between those ports, or, if such carriage is in direct 
competition with one or more carriers offering United States-flag 
berth service between such ports, with the consent of the next 
scheduled United States-flag carrier, which consent shall not be 
' 
unreasonably withheld in the judgment of the Maritime Admin-
istrator." 
(c) The first sentence of subsection (e) is amended by inserting 
after the words "after consideration of all relevant matter presented, 
shall" the words "approve the proposed cruise" and by striking out 
the last comma in the sentence and the words "approve the proposed 
cruise" at the end of the sentence. 
Approved June 30, 1972.