2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 46 - Waters and Navigation › Chapter 46-16 - New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission › Section 46-16-1. - Interstate compact authorized — Text of compact.

§ 46-16-1. Interstate compact authorized — Text of compact.
The commission on interstate cooperation, acting with and through the office of the attorney general, is hereby directed to negotiate with the proper authorities of the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut a compact in substantially the following form, which is hereby ratified:
Whereas, the growth of population and the development of the territory of the New England states has resulted in serious pollution of certain interstate streams, ponds and lakes, and of tidal waters ebbing and flowing past the boundaries of two (2) or more states; and
Whereas, such pollution constitutes a menace to the health, welfare and economic prosperity of the people living in such area; and
Whereas, the abatement of existing pollution and the control of future pollution in the interstate waters of the New England area are of prime importance to the people and can best be accomplished through the co-operation of the New England states in the establishment of an interstate agency to work with the states in the field of pollution abatement;
Now, therefore, the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont do agree and are bound as follows:
It is agreed between the signatory states that the provisions of this compact shall apply to streams, ponds and lakes which are contiguous to two (2) or more signatory states or which flow through two (2) or more signatory states or which have a tributary contiguous to two (2) or more signatory states or flowing through two (2) or more signatory states, and also shall apply to tidal waters ebbing and flowing past the boundaries of two (2) states.
There is hereby created the New England interstate water pollution control commission (hereinafter referred to as
“the commission”
) which shall be a body corporate and politic, having the powers, duties and jurisdiction herein enumerated and such other and additional powers as shall be conferred upon it by the act or acts of a signatory state concurred in by the others.
The commission shall consist of five (5) commissioners from each signatory state, each of whom shall be a resident voter of the state from which he or she is appointed. The commissioners shall be chosen in the manner and for the terms provided by law of the state from which they shall be appointed. For each state there shall be on the commission a member representing the state health department, a member representing the state water pollution control board (if such exists), and, except where a state in its enabling legislation decides that the best interests of the state will be otherwise served, a member representing municipal interests, a member representing industrial interests, and a member representing an agency acting for fisheries or conservation.
The commission shall annually elect from its members a chairperson and vice chairperson and shall appoint and at its pleasure remove or discharge such officers. It may appoint and employ a secretary who shall be a professional engineer versed in water pollution and may employ such stenographic or clerical employees as shall be necessary, and at its pleasure remove or discharge such employees. It shall adopt a seal and suitable bylaws and shall promulgate rules and regulations for its management and control. It may maintain an office for the transaction of its business and may meet at any time or place within the signatory states. Meetings shall be held at least twice each year. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but no action of the commission imposing any obligations on any signatory state or on any municipal agency or subdivision thereof or on any person, firm or corporation therein shall be binding unless a majority of the members from such signatory state shall have voted in favor thereof. Where meetings are planned to discuss matters relevant to problems of water pollution control affecting only certain of the signatory states, the commission may vote to authorize special meetings of the commissioners of the states especially concerned. The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements and shall make an annual report to the governor and the legislature of each signatory state setting forth in detail the operations and transactions conducted by it pursuant to this compact, and shall make recommendations for any legislative action deemed by it advisable, including amendments to the statutes of the signatory states which may be necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this compact. The commission shall not incur any obligations for salaries, office, administrative, traveling or other expenses prior to the allotment of funds by the signatory states adequate to meet the same; nor shall the commission pledge the credit of any of the signatory states. Each state reserves the right to provide hereafter by law for the examination and audit of the accounts of the commission. The commission shall appoint a treasurer who may be a member of the commission, and disbursements by the commission shall be valid only when authorized by the commission and when vouchers therefor have been signed by the secretary and countersigned by the treasurer. The secretary shall be custodian of the records of the commission with authority to attest to and certify such records or copies thereof.
It is recognized, owing to such variable factors as location, size, character and flow and the many varied uses of the waters subject to the terms of this compact, that no single standard of sewage and waste treatment and no single standard of quality of receiving waters is practical and that the degree of treatment of sewage and industrial wastes should take into account the classification of the receiving waters according to present and proposed highest use, such as for drinking water supply, industrial and agricultural uses, bathing and other recreational purposes, maintenance and propagation of fish life, shellfish culture, navigation and disposal of wastes.
The commission shall establish reasonable physical, chemical and bacteriological standards of water quality satisfactory for various classifications of use. It is agreed that each of the signatory states through appropriate agencies will prepare a classification of its interstate waters in entirety or by portions according to present and proposed highest use and for this purpose technical experts employed by state departments of health and state water pollution control agencies are authorized to confer on questions relating to classification of interstate waters affecting two (2) or more states. Each signatory state agrees to submit its classification of its interstate waters to the commission for approval. It is agreed that after such approval all signatory states through their appropriate state health departments and water pollution control agencies will work to establish programs of treatment of sewage and industrial wastes which will meet standards established by the commission for classified waters. The commission may from time to time make such changes in definitions of classifications and in standards as may be required by changed conditions or as may be necessary for uniformity.
Each of the signatory states pledges to provide for the abatement of existing pollution and for the control of future pollution of interstate inland and tidal waters as described in Article I, and to put and maintain the waters thereof in a satisfactory condition consistent with the highest classified use of each body of water.
Nothing in this compact shall be construed to repeal or prevent the enactment of any legislation or prevent the enforcement of any requirement by any signatory state imposing any additional condition or restriction to further lessen the pollution of waters within its jurisdiction. Nothing herein contained shall affect or abate any action now pending brought by any governmental board or body created by or existing under any of the signatory states.
The signatory states agree to appropriate for the salaries, office, administrative, travel and other expenses such sum or sums as shall be recommended by the commission. The state of Massachusetts obligates itself only to the extent of six thousand five hundred dollars ($6,500) in any one year, the state of Connecticut only to the extent of three thousand dollars ($3,000) in any one year, the state of Rhode Island only to the extent of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) in any one year, and the states of New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont each only to the extent of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in any one year.
Should any part of this compact be held to be contrary to the constitution of any signatory state or of the United States, all other parts thereof shall continue to be in full force and effect.
The commission is authorized to discuss with appropriate state agencies in New York state questions of pollution of waters which flow into the New England area from New York state or vice versa and to further the establishment of agreements on pollution abatement to promote the interests of the New York and New England areas.
Whenever the commission by majority vote of the members of each signatory state shall have given its approval and the state of New York shall have taken the necessary action to do so, the state of New York shall be a party to this compact for the purpose of controlling and abating the pollution of waterways common to New York and the New England states signatory to this compact but excluding the waters under the jurisdiction of the interstate sanitation commission (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut).
This compact shall become effective immediately upon the adoption of the compact by any two (2) contiguous states of New England but only insofar as applies to those states and upon approval by federal law. Thereafter upon ratification by other contiguous states, it shall also become effective as to those states.
History of Section.
P.L. 1947, ch. 1838, § 1; P.L. 1947, ch. 1901, §§ 3, 4; G.L. 1956, § 46-16-1.