NATURAL RESOURCES AND POWER SUBCOMMITTEE

1. "Disposal of Municipal Sewage (Water Pollution Control and Abatement)," House Report No. 204, March 24, 1965. Twelfth Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report. The report examined the role of the Federal Government in aiding pollution abatement action by municipalities. The significance of the Federal Government's role is shown by the fact that at the end of February 1965 about 1,470 applications were pending for Federal grants totaling $181.3 million to aid construction of facilities costing $904.1 million. The report made various recommendations for legislative and administrative action and stimulated a greater awareness by the general public and all levels of government for more creative policies and administrative practices. Many of these recommendations have been incorporated in the Water Quality Act signed by the President on October 2, 1965 (Public Law 89-234).

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits. It is impossible to estimate precisely the savings which will result from the report. However, more rapid elimination of municipal waste pollution will result in vast economies, especially in light of the longrun trend of rising construction costs. There will also be substantially reduced water intake treatment costs for downstream users; prevention of disease and epidemics; expansion of water resources for recreation, etc.

(c) Hearings.-The hearings upon which this report is based were held in the 88th Congress, and are printed in nine volumes entitled "Water Pollution Control and Abatement."

2. "Disposal of Sewage and Industrial Wastes by Federal Installations (Water Pollution Control and Abatement)," House Report No. 555, June 29, 1965. Fifteenth Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report.-This report is a detailed survey of the waste disposal practices of 963 Federal installations under the jurisdiction of 18 Government agencies as of December 31, 1964. The committee selected the installations for this survey from among 22,656 places discharging waterborne and nonwaterborne wastes into surface waters or the ground. These installations were selected on the basis of their discharging 3,000 or more gallons per day of untreated waterborne wastes, or untreated nonwaterborne wastes of 200 persons or more (or because they had received official notification of a pollution condition). The report constituted the most comprehensive survey made of the waste water practices by Federal installations. It pinpointed the need for corrective action and stimulated an extensive upgrading of water pollution abatement and control efforts within the Federal Government. The report received widespread ac

claim as a significant contribution to the national effort to eliminate water pollution. It stimulated the President to issue Executive Order 11258 on November 17, 1965, to carry out the committee's recommendations.

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits.-It is impossible to estimate the precise monetary benefits which will result from the report. However, the study and report have definitely established the leadership role of the Federal Government in combating water pollution.

(c) Hearings.-The hearings upon which this report is based were held in the 88th Congress, and are printed in nine volumes entitled "Water Pollution Control and Abatement."

3. "Views of the Governors on Tax Incentives and Effluent Charges (Water Pollution Control and Abatement)," House Report No. 1330, March 16, 1966. Twenty-First Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report.-This report presents the replies of the Governors of 47 States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands to a questionnaire by the subcommittee asking for their views on the use of tax incentives and/or effluent charges to stimulate industry to control water pollution More than half the Governors supported the proposal that Federal tax incentives should be provided to encourage industry in abating water pollution but only 11 States have made use of this device on the State level. A majority of the Governors expressed disapproval of federally imposed effluent charges but several suggested that State-imposed effluent charges might be appropriate. The purpose of the report, which did not support or reject either proposal, was to record the views of the Governors in the expectation that they would be useful to the Congress and to the public în considering current proposals about tax incentives and effluent charges to stimulate improved water pollution control and abatement.

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits.-The monetary benefits which will result from the report cannot be estimated. However, the report contributed significantly to our national program of water pollution and abatement by illuminating the issues involved in two major proposals to control industrial pollution with its increasingly grave economic consequences.

(c) Hearings.-This report is based partly on the questionnaire sent to the Governors of the States and territories, and partly on hearings held in the 88th Congress, which are printed in nine volumes entitled "Water Pollution Control and Abatement."

4. "1965 Survey on Disposal of Sewage and Industrial Wastes by Federal Installations (Water Pollution Control and Abatement)," House Report No. 1644, June 22, 1966. Thirty-First Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report.-This report is a followup of the subcommittee's 1964 study of waste-water discharges from Federal installations which is contained in House Report 555, 89th Congress, described

above. The 1965 survey outlines various significant developments in water pollution control and abatement which occurred since the committee's 1964 study and also evaluates progress achieved during 1965 in waste disposal practices at 341 Federal installations. It urges a speedup in programs to correct pollution control deficiencies at Federal installations to meet fully the standards prescribed in the Executive order of November 17, 1965, entitled "Prevention, Control, and Abatement of Water Pollution by Federal Activities" (now embodied in Executive Order 11288, July 2, 1966; 31 F.R. 9261). The report urges that Federal agencies give highest priority to planning and budget requests for funds to achieve maximum control of waste-water discharges at their installations. The report recommends that the installations which have not completed remedial action submit a progress report to the committee by the end of 1966, with their proposals for improving, accelerating, and expanding their pollution-control plans and efforts.

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits.-The monetary benefits which will result from the investigation cannot be estimated. However, the report further stimulated Federal agencies to accelerate water pollution control and abatement programs at their installations and thus set an example for the States, municipalities, and industry, and will undoubtedly help to improve water quality throughout the country with consequent extensive benefits, both monetary and otherwise, to the entire country.

5. "Separating Storm and Sanitary Sewers in Urban Renewal (Water Pollution Control and Abatement)," House Report No. 1648, 89th Congress, June 23, 1966. Thirty-Second Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report. This report stems from an investigation by the subcommittee in November 1965, of a proposal by the Urban Renewal Administration to finance construction of combined sewers in the University-Euclid urban renewal area of Cleveland, Ohio, despite the fact that the Federal conference on pollution of Lake Erie had recommended against such construction. As a result of the subcommittee's investigation, the proposed contract was changed to provide for construction of separate storm and sanitary sewers in that urban renewal area. This report discusses the Cleveland case and emphasizes the importance of separating combined sewers in all areas which are being redeveloped under urban renewal programs. The report documents the seriousness of the combined sewers problem and recommends that Federal agencies concerned with building and development projects prohibit the use of Federal funds for construction of combined sewers. It also recommends that the Urban Renewal Administration and all other Federal agencies submit plans for sewers and waste-water treatment facilities to the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration for review and advice.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has endorsed the major recommendations of the report and is preparing instructions to implement them. Two of the recommendations approved by HUD are of particular importance: (1) That Federal agencies prohibit the

use of Federal funds for construction of combined sewers in urban renewal and in other municipal or area development projects, and (2) that the Urban Renewal Administration adopt the policy of referring plans and specifications for sewers and waste-water-treatment facilities to the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration for its review and advice. HUD has indicated views on three aspects of the committee's report that seem to vary from the committee's recommendations. Those views are being reviewed by the subcommittee after consultation with the Department of the Interior.

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits.-The monetary benefits which will result from the investigation cannot be estimated. However, combined sewers contribute in substantial measure to the degradation of our watercourses and the report points out methods for reducing such pollution in the years ahead. Further, construction of separated sewers in new projects will result in savings to the taxpayers over the cost of later separating the sewers.

FOREIGN OPERATIONS AND GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SUBCOMMITTEE

FOREIGN OPERATIONS

1. "U.S.-Owned Foreign Currencies," House Report No. 199, March 22, 1965. Eleventh Report by the Committee on Government Operations.

(a) Summary of report. This report reflects a comprehensive subcommittee study of the many problems surrounding the magnitude and composition of the growing stock of foreign currencies in possession of the U.S. Government. It also reviews the policies and concepts which fostered the vast accumulation, and recommends possible methods of reducing the hoard with a resultant savings of dollars to the American taxpayers.

In the period covered by the report, the study shows that the United States owned about $3 billion worth of currencies in some 83 countries. These currencies result from programs authorized by the Mutual Security Acts, the Foreign Assistance Acts, and the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, as amended, commonly referred to as Public Law 480.1 One of the causes of the accumulation has been the failure of the executive branch to seek congressional appropriations of U.S.-owned foreign currencies in lieu of dollar appropriations. To help solve the problem subcommittee members sponsored an amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1964 which defines excess foreign currencies, requires the President to use them to the maximum extent possible in lieu of dollars, and authorizes the appropriation of U.S.-owned foreign currencies to carry out any U.S. operations abroad authorized by law.

(b) Estimated monetary and other benefits.-Action has been taken on a number of the recommendations made in the report: In March of this year, the establishment of an American-Indian Binational Foundation with excess U.S. holding of rupees was proposed by President Johnson. In order to reduce excess U.S. holdings of foreign currencies, section 104 of Public Law 480 was amended to prevent further accrual of local currencies to the United States in excess-currency countries; over $2 million in Indian rupees have been sold to nonprofit organizations since the subcommittee recommended such sales. This program has also been put into effect in five other countries but no sales figures are available at this time.

(c) Hearings.-Hearings were held in Washington on November 18, 19, and 20, 1963. The hearings have been printed and total 256 pages with 76 exhibits.

1 These statutes with their current amendments and other legal materials are collected in a useful compilation published annually as a joint committee print by the Committees on Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives. The title of the publication is "Legislation on Foreign Relations With Explanatory Notes."