2098                             Joint Resolutions

The members of the General Assembly of Maryland are requesting
the Department of Natural Resources of this State to initiate and
pursue discussions with the Federal Government and with appro-
priate officials of adjoining States in order to secure their cooperation
in stopping and abating the sources of pollution which are affecting
Maryland waters.

The State of Maryland, by reason of its geographic position and
the flow of its rivers into the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean,
is strongly affected by the action and lack of action of its neighbors.

Thus, each day the City of Washington discharges enormous
amounts of raw sewage in the Potomac River which is a Maryland
stream throughout all its length, except that portion of the River
opposite the District of Columbia.

Along the upper and lower reaches of the Potomac River, it is
bordered by the States of West Virginia and Virginia and a number
of its tributaries flow southward into the Potomac River from sources
in the State of Pennsylvania.

The great Susquehanna River, which accounts for approximately
83% of the fresh water import into the Chesapeake Bay flows com-
pletely through the State of Pennsylvania from a source in the State
of New York.

Other streams also flowing into portions of Maryland have their
origins or tributaries into adjoining States.

It is vital that the cooperation of the Federal Government, the City
of Washington and the States of Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania and Delaware be secured in order to reach the origin of sources
of pollution in waters flowing into the State of Maryland; now, there-
fore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Depart-
ment of Natural Resources of this State is requested to initiate and
pursue discussions with appropriate officials in the Federal Govern-
ment and the City of Washington and, also, with appropriate officials
and agencies in the States of Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania
and Delaware in order to do everything possible to reach and abate
sources of pollution in the District of Columbia and in these other
States which ultimately affect the waters of the State of Maryland;
and, be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the State of Maryland is directed,
under the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, to send copies of
this Resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice-
President of the United States, the Mayor of the City of Washington,
the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Governor of the
State of West Virginia, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Penn-
sylvania, and the Governor of the State of Delaware.

Approved April 22, 1970.