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:
NEW ENGLAND INTERSTATE WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL COMPACT
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:
ARTICLE I
ARTICLE II
"the commission"ARTICLE III
ARTICLE IV
ARTICLE V
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.
ARTICLE VI
ARTICLE VII
ARTICLE VIII
ARTICLE IX
ARTICLE X
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).
ARTICLE XI
History of Section.
P.L. 1947, ch. 1838, § 1; P.L. 1947, ch. 1901, §§ 3, 4; G.L. 1956, § 46-16-1.