October 7, 1963
PAGE 18773
THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT OF 1963
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, on Friday, October 4, 1963, the Senate Committee on Public Works reported out an amended version of S. 649, a bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. This legislation was introduced on January 31, 1963. Hearings were held by the Special Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution on June 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, and 26, 1963. Since the close of the hearings the members of the subcommittee and the full committee and their staffs have been working hard to perfect the original proposal: to make substantial improvements in the basic act without imposing unnecessary burdens on industry and supplementing rather than supplanting State and local efforts to improve water pollution control programs.
The bill, as reported, is a result of our labors. It represents a meeting of minds. Not every member of the committee agrees with every item in the bill, but there is a consensus. It is,I think a reasonable bill, a good bill.
I appreciate the cooperation and good will from members of both parties in the committee which made this achievement possible.
Today, Mr. President, I received a letter from Mr. Charles M. Parker, vice president for research and technology of the American Iron & Steel Institute. In his letter Mr. Parker advised me that the institute is offering its support of S. 649, as reported. This is an endorsement by a responsible and significant segment of American industry which deserves the attention of the Senate.
I ask unanimous consent that the letter from Mr. Parker be printed in the RECORD at this point.
There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
AMERICAN IRON & STEEL INSTITUTE,
New York, N.Y., October 2,1963.
Hon. EDMUND S. MUSKIE,
Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Air and Stream Pollution,
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.
DEAR Sir: The American Iron & Steel Institute has a sincere concern with legislation on air and water pollution control under consideration by your subcommittee. For this reason we have been diligently following the proceedings of the Special Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution.
S. 649 as reported by the Senate Public Works Committee has been reviewed by our committee on air and water pollution abatement. The American Iron & Steel institute wishes to offer our support of this bill.
Although we are not qualified to comment on section 12 "synthetic detergents" we believe the remainder of S. 649 represents a positive step toward a sound program of stream pollution control for U.S. waters.
We compliment the committee and its staff on a job well done.
Very truly yours,
CHARLES M. PARKER
Vice President, Research and Technology.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the endorsement of S. 649 by the Iron & Steel Institute is significant for two reasons: First, it confirms the feeling of the Committee on Public Works that this is a reasonable bill; and second, it illustrates a growing awareness that clean water is important for economic health as well as physical health.
S. 649 has clarified the purpose of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act by stating that:
The purpose of this Act is to enhance the quality and value of our water resources and to establish a national policy for the prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution.
The provisions of S. 649 advance these objectives, which are so important to our Nation as we try to gain maximum use of our limited supply of water for public water supplies, recreation, agriculture, industry, fish and wildlife, and other legitimate uses. I urge my colleagues to study S. 649 as reported by the Public Works Committee, and to give careful attention to the report of the committee, Senate Report No. 556.