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JUNE 30, 1948

THIS COMPACT, Made and entered into by and between the States of Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia and such additional States as may join in its execution,

WITNESSETH THAT:

WHEREAS, Pursuant to authority of the 74th Congress of the United States, granted by Public Resolution 104, approved June 8, 1936, duly appointed Commissioners re­spectively representing the States of Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Tennessee have heretofore negotiated a proposed Compact in form as hereinafter set forth and as approved by the 76th Congress of the United States by Public Act NO. 739, effective July 1, 1940; and

WHEREAS, By legislation duly enacted, each of said negotiating States, with the exception of Tennessee, has caused said Compact to be approved, ratified, adopted and enacted into law and has authorized its execution; and

WHEREAS, By legislation duly enacted, the Commonwealth of Virginia, although not participating in the original negotiation thereof, has authorized and requested its Governor to execute said Compact on behalf of the Commonwealth and thereby to bind the Commonwealth and to indicate its assent to and acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Compact; and

WHEREAS, Since all conditions upon which the effectiveness of the Compact or the ratification and approval thereof by any of the signatory States was contingent have been met and satisfied, it is now appropriate that the signatory States duly execute the OHIO RIVER VALLEY WATER SANITATION COMPACT, which, as specifically set out in the legislation hereinabove referred to, reads as follows:

WHEREAS, A substantial part of the territory of each of the signatory States is situated Within the drainage basin of the Ohio River; and

WHEREAS, The rapid increase in the population of the various metropolitan areas situated within the Ohio drainage basin, and the growth in industrial activity within that area, have resulted in recent years in an increasingly serious pollution of the waters and streams within the said drainage basin, constituting a grave menace to the health, welfare and recreational facilities of the people living in such basin, and occasioning great economic loss; and

WHEREAS, The control of future pollution and the abatement of existing pollution in the waters of said basin are of prime importance to the people thereof, and can best be accomplished through the cooperation of the States situated therein, by and through a joint or common agency;

Now, therefore, The States of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Each of the signatory States pledges to each of the other signatory States faithful cooperation in the control of future pollution in and abatement of existing pollution from the rivers, streams and water in the Ohio River basin which flow through, into or border upon any of such signatory States, and in order to effect such object, agrees to enact any necessary legislation to enable each such State to place and maintain the waters of said basin in a satisfactory sanitary condition, available for safe and satisfactory use as public and industrial water supplies after reasonable treatment, suitable for recreational usage, capable of maintaining fish and other aquatic life, free from unsightly or malodorous nuisances due to floating solids or sludge deposits, and adaptable to such other uses as may be legitimate.

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