BALTIMORE
June 8, 1966

I have followed with intense interest, and given every encouragement
and support to the activity of the Interstate Advisory Committee on the
Susquehanna River Basin, which is climaxed today with the presentation
of a proposed draft of an interstate-federal compact involving the Com-
monwealth of Pennsylvania, the states of New York and Maryland, and
the federal government. Simultaneous meetings are being held in
Albany, New York, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and here to unveil this
proposal to the public.

A formal presentation of the proposed compact document already has
been made to the Secretary of the Interior, Stewart L. Udall, as the
Chairman of the Water Resources Council.

Maryland's interest and activities in the Susquehanna represent but
one facet of our strong and continuing interest in looking to the long-
range development of our State, but is a very important facet vital to our
growth and economic well being.

The work concluded here today had its beginning over four years ago
shortly after President Kennedy proposed the initial appropriation of
federal funds for a comprehensive survey of the Susquehanna River
Basin. Beginning in January of 1962, Honorable David Lawrence, then
Governor of Pennsylvania, Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York,
and I corresponded and exchanged views and contacts on this subject,
coordinating our considerations through state officials most of whom have
continued to work with the project throughout its history.

The three governors subsequently agreed "to confer as soon as pos-
sible regarding the role of the states in the Susquehanna study, and in
addition, consider the desirability of working toward the development of
an interstate, or an interstate-federal agency to oversee the preparation
and the implementation of the river-basin plan. "

From this understanding the Interstate Advisory Committee formally
came into being at an organizational meeting in Binghamton, New York,
on May 28, 1962—and set out on its task of finding a vehicle "to encourage
and provide for the planning, conservation, utilization, development,
management and control of the water resources of the basin"—and—" to
provide for cooperative and coordinated planning and action by the sig-
natory parties with respect to water resources;... "

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