SIGNING REDDING REPORT BILLS 789

In addition to furthering the prepayment of Federal grants to
local governments, started last year to facilitate the construction of
urgently needed projects, the 1968 legislation contains these new
features:

It provides for loans of up to $250, 000 for construction of sewers
in communities not previously able to afford them. Such aid was
previously limited to sewage treatment facilities.

It provides matching funds for Federal grants to control pollution
throughout river basins and service areas, instead of more limited
jurisdictions.

It encourages communities to participate in demonstration grants
provided by the Federal government for water pollution control.

It directs the preparation of plans, by June 1 next year, to estab-
lish controls over surface water run-off and pollution from watercraft
and marinas, two major sources not now regulated.

It coordinates the efforts of State agencies now working indepen-
dently in the field of water pollution, provides for a Science Advisory
Board to bring new technical competence to bear on the problem,
and encourages development of new designs for sewerage systems.

In the aggregate, these provisions — along with others not enumer-
ated — combine to launch a massive effort by Maryland to protect
the purity of its greatest natural resource — water.

I am extremely pleased to sign into law this legislation, which
should benefit generations far into the future.

COMMENT ON SIGNING REDDING REPORT BILLS

May 7, 1968

Two of the outstanding bills passed by the 1968 General Assembly,
Senate Bills 220 and 221, went through with such little fanfare, con-
troversy and opposition — because of the solid groundwork done on
them — that I would like to call special attention to them at this bill-
signing today.

This is the legislation of the so-called Redding Committee, a joint
legislative-executive committee appointed by Senator James and me
last fall to try to extricate the State from its almost insoluble roads
financing problems.