standing practice. It will provide as well for continuing utilization of their developed technical competencies in water pollution control. Additional Assistant Secretary

The committee also recognizes the need for additional assistance to the Secretary in administering the act and accordingly recommends the creation of an additional position of Assistant Secretary in the Department to oversee this important sphere of activities.

The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, although the newest in the family of Cabinet-rank agencies, is second only to the Department of Defense in the complexity of its program responsibilities and fifth in size in number of personnel. The emergence of the Department as a major water resources agency as a result of its responsibilities under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act has substantially increased the burdens imposed on its central adminis

tration.

The new post of Assistant Secretary will have the same status in all respects as those now existing. It will be left to the Secretary whether to vest the administration functions under this bill in the occupant of the new position or to assign them to an existing Assistant Secretary. The Secretary may, as he sees fit, distribute, or redistribute the func

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tions of the Assistant Secretaries provided that a single Assistant Secretary supervises and directs both the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration and the administration of all functions within the Department related to water pollution.

GRANTS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT-COMBINED SEWER SYSTEMS

The magnitude of the problem of pollution caused by combined sewers impressed the committee with the necessity for action in reducing this source of pollution. Combined storm and sanitary sewers in many of the Nation's older municipalities seriously aggravate the national pollution situation. The use of combined and sanitary sewers is an outgrowth of the provision initially for disposal of storm water within urban areas. As more and more homes and business establishments were provided with water connections and water was used for conveyance and disposal of water it was concluded that sewer lines could serve a multiple purpose and sanitary waste disposal connections were made to these systems. This arrangement actually produced considerable detrimental effect. During periods of storm water runoff, even in small amounts, the sewers discharge flows of storm water and sanitary sewage in excess of the capacity of treatment plants. Thus, it is impossible to treat

all effluent and much untreated waste is bypassed into receiving waters creating a situation that is worse than discharging all storm water runoff into receiving waters in an untreated state.

It has been determined that there are 1,131 communities whose entire waste collection systems are of the combined sewer type serving a population of 20.9 million and that another 810 cities of 37.8 million population have systems which partially consist of combined

sewers.

In a selected sample of 95 communities with combined sewer systems, either total or partial, 45 communities indicate some degree of plan preparation for proceeding to take measures to deal with their individual problems. The research and development grants herein authorized are needed to assist these and other municipalities in pointing out practical, efficient, and economic methods for resolving this problem.

Complete separation of the combined storm and sanitary sewers would entail estimated expenditures of up to $30 billion. Alternative measures, some of which were discussed by witnesses during the public hearings, would appear to present a feasible and in some instances a preferable answer. Accordingly, the committee recommends an authorization for research and development grants to demonstrate new or improved methods to eradicate this problem in the amount of $20 million annually for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1965, and for the next 3 succeeding fiscal years. The amount of any single grant is limited to 5 percent of the total amount authorized for any one fiscal year.

The committee expects these funds to be used for the purpose of assisting communities in devising and carrying forward projects which would illustrate or demonstrate improved means, including separation of combined sewers, whereby the discharge of effluents from combined sewer systems can be controlled and disposed of without deleterious effects to our water resources. Research as such is needed to suggest pollution abatement procedures and practices. However, there is not

[p. 6] substitute for full-scale demonstrations to point the way for eliminating these intermittent slugs of excessive pollution.

TREATMENT PLANT CONSTRUCTION GRANTS

The present program of grants for construction of municipal waste treatment plants provides for a Federal grant of 30 percent of estimated cost of construction but not to exceed $600,000 for a single project and $2,400,000 for a joint multimunicipal project. This pro

gram has been markedly successful in stimulating action on the part of the smaller communities.

Larger municipalities, whose needed facilities are of necessarily greater size, encounter appreciably greater expenditures. The rising costs of sewage treatment plant construction have placed additional burdens on the larger communities. The share of assistance provided under existing dollar ceiling limitations falls proportionately short of being an effective incentive in view of their correspondingly larger expenses.

Approximately 45 percent of the population, whose waste treatment facilities needs are still unmet, is found in these larger communities. The committee recognizes the need to increase these allowances to meet higher costs, to furnish a more adequate incentive and more equitable share of assistance for the larger municipalities and recommends that they be increased to $1 million for individual projects and to $4 million for joint projects.

It has been urged that the individual and joint project authorization increases provided in this bill do not represent a fair share of the overwhelming cost burdens imposed on our larger cities. The committee is also aware of the fiscal burdens being imposed on smaller communities whose pollution abatement programs require the construction of collection sewers, which are not eligible for financial assistance under the Water Pollution Control Act, as well as interceptor sewers and sewage treatment plants. However, the committee did not feel it could provide additional authorizations within the program unless it approved substantial increases in the total sewage treatment grant authorizations.

It is the intention of the committee to give early and thorough attention to the financial and technological problems confronting communities, large and small, as they endeavor to control and abate municipal sewage. The committee is confident that out of the experience we have gained under the present act and from information derived from hearings and technical studies it will be able to develop a sound and expanded program of pollution control and abatement grants designed to meet realistic goals of water quality enhancement.

URBAN PLANNING

Comprehensive metropolitan planning assumes increasing significance and has become essential in view of our rapid urbanization. Desirable patterns of orderly development of municipal areas must be planned and followed to eliminate factors which lead to the breeding of slum and blight-impacted areas and to effect those sizeable economies and efficiencies ordinarily made possible through the coordination of common interests and needs. The committee considers

that it is appropriate to allow a 10-percent increase in the grants authorized for treatment plant construction where such planning is carried forward.

Enforcement where interstate commerce is affected

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The committee feels that, because of the serious health and economic effects of pollution on shellfish, the Secretary should be authorized and directed to institute enforcement proceedings on his own initiative to abate pollution of interstate or navigable waters which prevents such products from being entered into interstate

commerce.

Under the cooperative program for certification of interstate shellfish shippers, the Public Health Service, in cooperation with State. and local governments and shellfish industry, has developed an effective barrier to the transportation and sale in interstate commerce of shellfish, such as clams, oysters, and mussels, not meeting approved sanitary standards. State governments certify interstate shippers who obtain shellfish from areas meeting the sanitary standards of the Public Health Service. The Public Health Service maintains and publishes a list of approved certificated shippers. In order to keep its shippers on the Public Health Service approved list, States must close and patrol harvesting areas found unsatisfactory by the Public Health Service.

In such circumstances, the Federal responsibility to enforce the abatement of the pollution is clearly recognizable. The necessary ban on introduction of such pollution-affected products in interstate commerce and the foreclosure of gathering and harvesting operations in these waters effectively denies the means of livelihood and gainful employment to the concerned party. The injured person, who must sustain untoward economic losses through no fault of his own, has no direct recourse against the polluters. Measures to restore the harvesting of shellfish in such waters are hampered and rendered ineffective by the continuance of the pollution. Federal enforcement powers would be made available to provide that pollution sources are abated and restorative measures allowed to proceed more promptly and effectively.

The existing act authorizes enforcement measures to abate pollution which endangers the health or welfare of any persons. It specifically directs the application of enforcement measures on Federal responsibility and initiative when pollution of an interstate nature; i.e., originating in one State and endangering the health and welfare of persons in another State or States, is occurring. Extension of this authority to require enforcement action when any person is pre

vented from marketing shellfish or shellfish products in interstate commerce because of pollution and action of Federal, State, or local authorities is equally necessary.

STANDARDS OF WATER QUALITY

Increasing population and expanding industrialization are placing growing demands on our limited sources of water. It will be necessary for us to use many rivers for multiple purposes, including industrial, agricultural, recreational, public water supply, and fish and wildlife uses. In other cases, the uses on a given river or portion of a river will be more limited, depending upon the nature of the waterway, the intensity and history of use, and alternative sources of water in the area. Economic, health, esthetic, and conservation values which contribute to the social and economic welfare of an area must be taken into account in determining the most appropriate use or uses of a

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stream. There ought to be a constant effort to improve the quality of the water supply, it being recognized that the improvement of the quality of water makes it available for more uses.

The correction of damaging pollution after it has built up is vastly more complex and costly than prevention of such buildups. Standards of water quality to provide reliable and sound guidelines and effective measuring devices are an important and necessary part of any program of water pollution prevention, abatement, and control. The bill herewith reported would provide a basis for preventive action and a clear understanding of pollution abatement and control requirements by authorizing the establishment of water quality standards.

Water quality standards would provide an engineering base for design of treatment works by municipalities and industries. Such standards would enable municipalities and industries to develop realistic plans for new plants or expanded facilities, without uncertainties about waste disposal requirements on interstate waters. While this would be a new provision in Federal legislation, it is by no means a new concept. Water quality standards have been utilized successfully by individual States for streams within their boundaries, and in a few interstate situations.

Accordingly, the bill provides authority for the Secretary to establish standards of water quality to be applicable to interstate waters or portions thereof. The standards are to be formulated in accordance with accepted administrative procedures calling for notice and public hearing and consultation with affected Federal, State, inter