Public Law 660.

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70 Stat. 498 Public Law 660 chapter 518 AN ACT To extend and strengthen the Water Pollution Control Act. July 9, 1956[[S. 890](/us/bill/84/s/890)] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1956. [62 Stat. 1155](/us/stat/62/1155). That the Water Pollution Control Act (33 U. S. C. 466–466j) is hereby amended to read as follows: " “declaration of policy “Section 1.

(a)In connection with the exercise of jurisdiction over the waterways of the Nation and in consequence of the benefits resulting to the public health and welfare by the prevention and control of water pollution, it is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress to recognize, preserve, and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of the States in preventing and controlling water pollution, to support and aid technical research relating to the prevention and control of water pollution, and to provide Federal technical services and financial aid to State and interstate agencies and to municipalities in connection Administration of Act. with the prevention and control of water pollution. To this end, the Surgeon (general of the Public Health Service shall administer this Act through the Public Health Service and under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. “(b) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as impairing or in any manner affecting any right or jurisdiction of the States with respect to the waters (including boundary waters) of such States. “comprehensive programs for water pollution control “Sec. 2. The Surgeon General shall, after careful investigation, and in cooperation with other Federal agencies, with State water pollution control agencies and interstate agencies, and with the municipalities and industries involved, prepare or develop comprehensive programs for eliminating or reducing the pollution of interstate waters and tributaries thereof and improving the sanitary condition of surface and underground waters. In the development of such comprehensive programs due regard shall be given to the improvements which are necessary to conserve such waters for public water supplies, propagation of fish and aquatic life and wildlife, recreational purposes, and Joint investigations. agricultural, industrial, and other legitimate uses. For the purpose of this section, the Surgeon General is authorized to make joint investigations with any such agencies of the condition of any waters in any State or States, and of the discharges of any sewage, industrial wastes, or substance which may adversely affect such waters. “interstate cooperation and uniform laws “Sec. 3.

(a)The Surgeon General shall encourage cooperative activities by the States for the prevention and control of water pollution; encourage the enactment of improved and, so far as practicable, uniform State laws relating to the prevention and control of water pollution; and encourage compacts between States for the prevention and control of water pollution. “(b) The consent of the Congress is hereby given to two or more States to negotiate and enter into agreements or compacts, not in conflict with any law or treaty of the United States, for

(1)cooperative effort and mutual assistance for the prevention and control of water pollution and the enforcement of their respective laws relating thereto, and

(2)the establishment of such agencies, joint or otherwise, as they 70 Stat. 499 may deem desirable for making effective such agreements and compacts. No such agreement or compact shall be binding or obligatory upon any State a party thereto unless and until it has been approved by the Congress. “research, investigations, training, and information “Sec. 4.

(a)The Surgeon General shall conduct in the Public Health Service and encourage, cooperate with, and render assistance to other appropriate public (whether Federal, State, interstate, or local) authorities, agencies, and institutions, private agencies and institutions, and individuals in the conduct of, and promote the coordination of, research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, and studies relating to the causes control, and prevention of water pollution. In carrying out the foregoing, the Surgeon General is authorized to— “(1) collect and make available, through publications and other appropriate means, the results of and other information as to research, investigations, and demonstrations relating to the prevention and control of water pollution, including appropriate recommendations in connection therewith; “(2) make grants-in-aid to public or private agencies and institutions and to individuals for research or training projects and for demonstrations, and provide for the conduct of research, training, and demonstrations by contract with public or private agencies and institutions and with individuals without regard to sections 3648 and 3709 of the Revised Statutes; [31 USC 529](/us/usc/t31/s529); [41 USC 5](/us/usc/t41/s5). “(3) secure, from time to time and for such periods as he deems advisable, the assistance and advice of experts, scholars, and consultants as authorized by section 15 of the Administrative Expenses Act of 1946 (5 U. S. C. 55a); [60 Stat. 810](/us/stat/60/810). “(4) establish and maintain research fellowships in the Public Health Service with such stipends and allowances, including traveling and subsistence expenses, as he may deem necessary to procure the assistance of the most promising research fellowships: *Provided*, That the total sum authorized to be appropriated for any fiscal ear for fellowships pursuant to this subparagraph shall not exceed $100,000; and “(5) provide training in technical matters relating to the causes, prevention, and control of water pollution to personnel of public agencies and other persons with suitable qualifications. “(b) The Surgeon General may, upon request of any State water pollution control agency, or interstate agency, conduct investigations and research and make surveys concerning any specific problem of water pollution confronting any State, interstate agency, community, municipality, or industrial plant, with a view of recommending a solution of such problem. “(c) The Surgeon General shall, in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies having related responsibilities, collect and disseminate basic data on chemical, physical, and biological water duality and other information insofar as such data or other information relate to water pollution and the prevention and control thereof. “grants for water pollution control programs “Sec. 5.

(a)There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1957, and for each succeeding fiscal year to and including the fiscal year ending June 30, 1961, $3,000,000 for grants to States and to interstate agencies to assist them in meeting the 70 Stat. 500 costs of establishing and maintaining adequate measures for the prevention and control of water pollution. “(b) The portion of the sums appropriated pursuant to subsection

(a)for a fiscal year which shall be available for grants to interstate agencies and the portion thereof which shall be available for grants to States shall be specified in the Act appropriating such sums. “(c) From the sums available therefor for any fiscal year the Surgeon General shall from time to time make allotments to the several States, in accordance with regulations, on the basis of

(1)the population,

(2)the extent of the water pollution problem, and

(3)the financial need of the respective States. “(d) From each State’s allotment under subsection

(c)for any fiscal year the Surgeon General shall pay to such State an amount equal to its Federal share (as determined under subsection (h)) of the cost of carrying out its State plan approved under subsection (f), including the cost of training personnel for State and local water pollution control work and including the cost of administering the State plan. “(e) From the sums available therefor for any fiscal year the Surgeon General shall from time to time make allotments to interstate agencies, in accordance with regulations, on such basis as the Surgeon General finds reasonable and equitable. He shall from time to time pay to each such agency, from its allotment, an amount equal to such portion of the cost of carrying out its plan approved under subsection

(f)as may be determined in accordance with regulations, including the cost of training personnel for water pollution control work and including the cost of administering the interstate agency’s plan. The regulations relating to the portion of the cost of carrying out the interstate agency’s plan which shall be borne by the United States shall be designed to place such agencies, so far as practicable, on a basis similar to that of the States. “(f) Approval of State or Interstate plans. The Surgeon General shall approve any plan for the prevention and control of water pollution which is submitted by the State water pollution control agency or, in the case of an interstate agency, by such agency, if such plan— “(1) provides for administration or for the supervision of administration of the plan by the State water pollution control agency or, in the case of a plan submitted by an interstate agency, by such interstate agency; “(2) provides that such agency will make such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Surgeon General may from time to time reasonably require to carry out his functions under this Act; “(3) sets forth the plans, policies, and methods to be followed in carrying out the State (or interstate) plan and in its administration; “(4) provides for extension or improvement of the State or interstate program for prevention and control of water pollution; and “(5) provides such accounting, budgeting, and other fiscal methods and procedures as are necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the plan. The Surgeon General shall not disapprove any plan without first giving reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the State water pollution control agency or interstate agency which has submitted such plan. “(g)

(1)Whenever the Surgeon General, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to a State water pollution control agency or interstate agency finds that— 70 Stat. 501 “(A) the plan submitted by such agency and approved under this section has been so changed that it no longer complies with a requirement of subsection

(f)of this section; or “(B) in the administration of the plan there is a failure to comply substantially with such a requirement, the Surgeon General shall notify such agency that no further payments will be made to the State or to the interstate agency, as the case may be, under this section (or in his discretion that further payments will not be made to the State, or to the interstate agency, for projects under or parts of the plan affected by such failure) until he is satisfied that there will no longer be any such failure. Until he is so satisfied, the Surgeon General shall make no further payments to such State, or to such interstate agency, as the case may be, under this section (or shall limit payments to projects under or parts of the plan in which there is no such failure). “(2) If any State or any interstate agency is dissatisfied with the Appeals. Surgeon General’s action with respect to it under this subsection, it may appeal to the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which such State (or any of the member States, in the case of an interstate agency) is located. The summons and notice of appeal may be served at any place in the United States. The findings of fact by the Surgeon General, unless contrary to the weight of the evidence, shall be conclusive; but the court, for good cause shown, may remand the case to the Surgeon General to take further evidence, and the Surgeon General may thereupon make new or modified findings of fact and may modify his previous action. Such new or modified findings of fact shall likewise be conclusive unless contrary to the weight of the evidence. The court shall have jurisdiction to affirm the action of the Surgeon General or to set it aside, in whole or in part. The judgment of the court shall be subject to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon certiorari or certification as provided in title 28, United States Code, section 1254. [62 Stat. 928](/us/stat/62/928). “(h)

(1)The ‘Federal share’ for any State shall be 100 per centum “Federal share”. less that percentage which bears the same ratio to 50 per centum as the per capita income of such State bears to the per capita income of the continental United States (excluding Alaska), except that

(A)the Federal share shall in no case be more than 66⅔ per centum or less than 33⅓ per centum, and

(B)the Federal share for Hawaii and Alaska shall be 50 per centum, and for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands shall be 66⅔ per centum. “(2) The ‘Federal shares’ shall be promulgated by the Surgeon General between July 1 and September 30 of each even-numbered year, on the basis of the average of the per capita incomes of the States and of the continental United States for the three most recent consecutive years for which satisfactory data are available from the Department of Commerce. Such promulgation shall be conclusive for each of the two fiscal years in the period beginning July 1 next succeeding such promulgation: *Provided*, That the Federal shares promulgated by the Surgeon General pursuant to section 4 of the Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1956, shall be conclusive for the period beginning July 1, 1956, and ending June 30, 1959. “(i) The population of the several States shall be determined on the basis of the latest figures furnished by the Department of Commerce. “(j) The method of computing and paying amounts pursuant to Method of computation and payment. subsection

(d)or

(e)shall be as follows: “(1) The Surgeon General shall, prior to the beginning of each calendar quarter or other period prescribed by him, estimate the amount to be paid to each State (or to each interstate agency in the 70 Stat. 502 case of subsection (e)) under the provisions of such subsection for such period, such estimate to be based on such records of the State (or the interstate agency) and information furnished by it, and such other investigation, as the Surgeon General may find necessary. “(2) The Surgeon General shall pay to the State (or to the interstate agency), from the allotment available therefor, the amount so estimated by him for any period, reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any sum (not previously adjusted under this paragraph) by which he finds that his estimate of the amount to be paid such State (or such interstate agency) for any prior period under such subsection was greater or less than the amount which should have been paid to such State (or such agency) for such prior period under such subsection. Such payments shall be made through the disbursing facilities of the Treasury Department, in such installments as the Surgeon General may determine. “grants for construction “Sec. 6.

(a)The Surgeon General is authorized to make grants to any State, municipality, or intermunicipal or interstate agency for the construction of necessary treatment works to prevent the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated sewage or other waste into any waters and for the purpose of reports, plans, and specifications in connection therewith. “(b) Limitations. Federal grants under this section shall be subject to the following limitations:

(1)No grant shall be made for any project pursuant to this section unless such project shall have been approved by the appropriate State water pollution control agency or agencies and by the Surgeon General and unless such project is included in a comprehensive program developed pursuant to this Act;

(2)no grant shall be made for any project in an amount exceeding 30 per centum of the estimated reasonable cost thereof as determined by the Surgeon General or in an amount exceeding $250,000, whichever is the smaller: *Provided*, That the grantee agrees to pay the remaining cost;

(3)no grant shall be made for any project under this section until the applicant has made provision satisfactory to the Surgeon General for assuring proper and efficient operation and maintenance of the treatment works after completion of the construction thereof; and

(4)no grant shall be made for any project under this section unless such project is in conformity with the State water pollution control plan submitted pursuant to the provisions of section 5 and has been certified by the State water pollution control agency as entitled to priority over other eligible projects on the basis of financial as well as water pollution control needs. “(c) In determining the desirability of projects for treatment works and of approving Federal financial aid in connection therewith, consideration shall be given by the Surgeon General to the public benefits to be derived by the construction and the propriety of Federal aid in such construction, the relation of the ultimate cost of constructing and maintaining the works to the public interest and to the public necessity for the works, and the adequacy of the provisions made or proposed by the applicant for such Federal financial aid for assuring proper and efficient operation and maintenance of the treatment works after completion of the construction thereof. The sums appropriated pursuant to subsection

(d)for any fiscal year shall be allotted by the Surgeon General from time to time, in accordance with regulations, as follows:

(1)50 per centum of such sums in the ratio that the population of each State bears to the population of all the States, and

(2)50 per centum of such sums in the ratio that the quotient 70 Stat. 503 obtained by dividing the per capita income of the United States by the per capita income of each State bears to the sum of such quotients for all the States. The allotment of a State under the preceding sentence shall be available, in accordance with the provisions of this section, for payments with respect to projects in such State which have been approved under this section. For purposes of this section, population shall be determined on the basis of the latest decennial census for which figures are available, as certified by the Secretary of Commerce, and per capita income for each State and for the United States shall be determined on the basis of the average of the per capita incomes of the States and of the continental United States for the three most recent consecutive years for which satisfactory data are available from the Department of Commerce. “(d) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal Appropriation. year the sum of $50,000,000 for the purpose of making grants under this section: *Provided*, That the aggregate of sums so appropriated shall not exceed $500,000,000. Sums so appropriated shall remain available until expended: *Provided*, That at least 50 per centum of the funds so appropriated for each fiscal year shall be used for grants for the construction of treatment works servicing municipalities of one hundred and twenty-five thousand population or under. “(e) The Surgeon General shall make payments under this section through the disbursing facilities of the Department of the Treasury. Funds so paid shall be used exclusively to meet the cost of construction of the project for which the amount was paid. As used in this section Inclusion of preliminary planning in construction. the term ‘construction’ includes preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering feasibility of treatment works, the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal, and economic investigations and studies, surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, procedures, and other action necessary to the construction of treatment works; and the erection, building, acquisition, alteration, remodeling, improvement, or extension of treatment works; and the inspection and supervision of the construction of treatment works. “water pollution control advisory board “Sec. 7.

(1)There is hereby established in the Public Health Service a Water Pollution Control Advisory Board, composed of the Surgeon General or a sanitary engineer officer designated by him, who shall be chairman, and nine members appointed by the President none of whom shall be Federal officers or employees. The appointed members, having due regard for the purposes of this Act, shall be selected from among representatives of various State, interstate and local governmental agencies, of public or private interests contributing to, affected by, or concerned with water pollution, and of other public and private agencies, organizations, or groups demonstrating an active interest in the field of water pollution prevention and control, as well as other individuals who are expert in this field. “(2)

(A)Each member appointed by the President shall hold office for a term of three years, except that

(i)any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term, and

(ii)the terms of office of the members first taking office after June 30, 1956, shall expire as follows: three at the end of one year after such date, three at the end of two years after such date, and three at the end of three years after such date, as designated by the President at the time of appointment. None of the members appointed by the President shall be eligible for reappointment within one year after the end of his preceding term, but terms commencing prior to the enact-70 Stat. 504ment of the Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1956 shall not be deemed ‘preceding terms’ for purposes of this sentence. “(B) Compensation. The members of the Board who are not officers or employees of the United States, while attending conferences or meetings of the Board or while otherwise serving at the request of the Surgeon General, shall be entitled to receive compensation at a rate to be fixed by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, but not exceeding $50 per diem, including travel time, and while away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law (5 [60 Stat. 808](/us/stat/60/808). U. S. C. 73b–2) for persons in the Government service employed intermittently. “(b) The Board shall advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Surgeon General on matters of policy relating to the activities and functions of the Surgeon General under this Act. “(c) Such clerical and technical assistance as may be necessary to discharge the duties of the Board shall be provided from the personnel of the Public Health Service. “enforcement measures against pollution of interstate waters “Sec. 8.

(a)The pollution of interstate waters in or adjacent to any State or States (whether the matter causing or contributing to such pollution is discharged directly into such waters or reaches such waters after discharge into a tributary of such waters), which endangers the health or welfare of persons in a State other than that in which the discharge originates, shall be subject to abatement as herein provided. “(b) Consistent with the policy declaration of this Act, State and interstate action to abate pollution of interstate waters shall be encouraged and shall not, except as otherwise provided by or pursuant to court order under subsection (g), be displaced by Federal enforcement action. “(c)

(1)Conferences. Whenever the Surgeon General, on the basis of reports, surveys, or studies, has reason to believe that any pollution referred to in subsection

(a)is occurring or whenever requested by a State water pollution control agency or the Governor of any State, he shall give formal notification of any such pollution to the State water pollution control agency and interstate agency, if any, of the State or States where the discharge or discharges causing or contributing to such pollution originates and shall call promptly a conference of the State water pollution control agencies and interstate agencies, if any, of the State or States where the discharge or discharges causing or contributing to such pollution originates and of the State or States claiming to be adversely affected by such pollution. “(2) The agencies called to attend such conference may bring such persons as they desire to the conference. Not less than three weeks’ prior notice of the conference date shall be given to such agencies. “(3) Following this conference, the Surgeon General shall prepare and forward to all the water pollution control agencies attending the conference a summary of conference discussions including

(A)occurrence of pollution of interstate waters subject to abatement under this Act;

(B)adequacy of measures taken toward abatement of the pollution; and

(C)nature of delays, if any, being encountered in abating the pollution. “(d) If the Surgeon General believes, upon the conclusion of the conference or thereafter that effective progress toward abatement of such pollution is not being made and that the health or welfare of persons in a State other than that in which the discharge originates is being endangered, he shall recommend to the appropriate State water 70 Stat. 505 pollution control agency that it take necessary remedial action. The Surgeon General is to allow at least six months for the taking of such action. “(e) If such remedial action is not taken or action reasonably calculated Public hearings. to secure abatement of such pollution is not taken, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall call a public hearing, to be held in or near one or more of the places where the discharge or discharges causing or contributing to such pollution originated, before a board of five or more persons appointed by the Secretary. Each State in which any discharge causing or contributing to such pollution originates and each State claiming to be adversely affected by such pollution shall be given an opportunity to select one member of the board and at least one member shall be a representative of the Department of Commerce, and not less than a majority of the board shall be persons other than officers or employees of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. At least three weeks’ prior notice of said hearing shall be given to the State water pollution control agencies and interstate agencies, if any, called to attend the aforesaid hearing and the alleged polluter or polluters. On the basis of the evidence presented at such hearing, the board shall make findings as to whether pollution referred to in subsection

(a)is occurring and whether effective progress toward abatement thereof is being made. If the board finds such pollution is occurring and effective progress toward abatement is not being made it shall make recommendations to the Secretary of Health Education, and Welfare concerning the measures, if any, which it Binds to be reasonable and equitable to secure abatement of such pollution. The Secretary shall send such findings and recommendations to the person or persons discharging any matter causing or contributing to such pollution, together with a notice specifying a reasonable time (not less than six months) to secure abatement of such pollution, and shall also send such findings and recommendations and such notice to the State water pollution control agency, and to the interstate agency, if any, of the State or States where such discharge or discharges originate. “(f) If action reasonably calculated to secure abatement of the Suits on behalf of U. S. pollution within the time specified in the notice following the public hearing is not taken, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, with the written consent of the state water pollution control agency (or any officer or employee authorized to give such consent) of the State or States where the matter causing or contributing to the pollution is discharged or at the written request of the State water pollution control agency (or any officer or employee authorized to make such request) of any other State or States where the health or welfare of persons is endangered by such pollution, may request. the Attorney General to bring a suit on behalf of the United States to secure abatement of the pollution. “(g) The court shall receive in evidence in any such suit a transcript of the proceedings before the Board and a copy of the Board’s recommendations and shall receive such further evidence as the court in its discretion deems proper. The court, giving due consideration to the practicability and to the physical and economic feasibility of securing abatement of any pollution proved, shall have jurisdiction to enter such judgment, and orders enforcing such judgment, as the public interest and the unities of the case may require. “(h) As used in this section, the term ‘person’ includes an individual, “Person”. corporation, partnership, association, State, municipality, and political subdivision of the State. 70 Stat. 506 “cooperation to control pollution from federal installations “Sec. 9. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Congress that any Federal department or agency having jurisdiction over any building, installation, or other property shall, insofar as practicable and consistent with the interests of the United States and within any available appropriations, cooperate with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and with any State or interstate agency or municipality having jurisdiction over waters into which any matter is discharged from such property, in preventing or controlling the pollution of such waters. “administration “Sec. 10.

(a)The Surgeon General is authorized to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out his functions under this Act. All regulations of the Surgeon General under this Act shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Surgeon General may delegate to any officer or employee of the Public Health Service such of his powers and duties under this Act, except the making of regulations, as he may deem necessary or expedient. “(b) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, with the consent of the head of any other agency of the United States, may utilize such officers and employees of such agency as may be found necessary to assist in carrying out the purposes of this Act. “(c) Appropriations. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare such sums as may be necessary to enable it to carry out its functions under this Act. “definitions “Sec. 11. When used in this Act— “(a) The term ‘State water pollution control agency’ means the State health authority, except that, in the case of any State in which there is a single State agency, other than the State health authority, charged with responsibility for enforcing State laws relating to the abatement of water pollution, it means such other State agency. “(b) The term ‘interstate agency’ means an agency of two or more States established by or pursuant to an agreement or compact approved by the Congress, or any other agency of two or more States, having substantial powers or duties pertaining to the control of pollution of waters. “(c) The term ‘treatment works’ means the various devices used in the treatment of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature, including the necessary intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, pumping, power, and other equipment, and their appurtenances, and includes any extensions, improvements, remodeling, additions, and alterations thereof. “(d) The term ‘State’ means a State, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands. “(e) The term ‘interstate waters’ means all rivers, lakes, and other waters that flow across, or form a part of, boundaries between two or more States. “(f) The term ‘municipality’ means a city, town, borough, county, parish, district, or other public body created by or pursuant to State law and having jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, or other wastes. 70 Stat. 507 “other authority not affected “Sec. 12. This Act shall not be construed as

(1)superseding or limiting the functions, under any other law, of the Surgeon General or of the Public Health Service, or of any other officer or agency of the United States, relating to water pollution, or

(2)affecting or impairing the provisions of the Oil Pollution Act, 1924, or sections 13 through [43 Stat. 604](/us/stat/43/604). [33 USC 431](/us/usc/t33/s431). 17 of the Act entitled ‘An Act making appropriations for the construction, repair, and preservation of certain public works on rivers and harbors and for other purposes’, approved March 3, 1899, as amended, [30 Stat. 1121](/us/stat/30/1121). [33 USC 401, 403, 404, 406–409, 411–416, 418, 549, 686, 687](/us/usc/t33/s401/403/404/406–409/411–416/418/549/686/687). or

(3)affecting or impairing the provisions of any treaty of the United States. “separability “Sec. 13. If any provision of this Act, or the application of any provision of this Act to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, and the remainder of this Act, shall not be affected thereby. “short title “Sec. 14. This Act may be cited as the ‘Federal Water Pollution Control Act’.” " Sec. 2. The title of such Act is amended to read “An Act to provide for water pollution control activities in the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and for other purposes.” Sec. 3. Terms of office as members of the Water Pollution Control Expiration of terms of office. Advisory Board (established pursuant to section 6

(b)of the Water Pollution Control Act, as in effect prior to the enactment of this Act) subsisting on the date of enactment of this Act shall expire at the close of business on such date. Sec. 4. As soon as possible after the date of enactment of this Act the Surgeon General shall promulgate Federal shares in the manner provided in subsection

(h)of section 5 of the Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by this Act (and without regard to the date specified therein for such promulgation), such Federal shares to be conclusive for the purposes of section 5 of such Act for the period beginning July 1, 1956, and ending June 30, 1959. Sec. 5. In the case of any discharge or discharges causing or contributing to water pollution with respect to which the actions by the Surgeon General prescribed under paragraph

(2)of section 2

(d)of the Water Pollution Control Act, as in effect prior to the enactment of this Act, have already been completed prior to such enactment, the provisions of such section shall continue to be applicable; except that nothing in this section shall prevent action with respect to any such pollution under and in accordance with the provisions of the Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by this Act. Sec. 6. This Act may be cited as the “Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1956”. Approved July 9, 1956. Public Law 661: To provide punishment for certain confidence game swindles. Public Law 661 Public Law 661 70 Stat. 507 1956-07-09 United States Government Publishing Office text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Digitization Vendor 2026-02-10 84 2 public Public Law 661 chapter 519 AN ACT To provide punishment for certain confidence game swindles. July 9, 1956[[S. 997](/us/bill/84/s/997)] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That section 70 Stat. 508 [62 Stat. 806](/us/stat/62/806). 2314 of title 18, United States Code be, and it is hereby, amended by inserting therein immediately after the first paragraph thereof of, a new paragraph to read as follows: " “Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transports or causes to be transported, or induces any person to travel in, or to be transported in interstate commerce in the execution or concealment of a scheme or artifice to defraud that person of money or property having a value of $5,000 or more; or”. " Approved July 9, 1956. Public Law 662: To amend the Federal Seed Act. Public Law 662 Public Law 662 70 Stat. 508 1956-07-09 United States Government Publishing Office text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Digitization Vendor 2026-02-10 84 2 public Public Law 662 chapter 520 AN ACT To amend the Federal Seed Act. July 9, 1956[[S. 1688](/us/bill/84/s/1688)] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That section 406 [53 Stat. 1286](/us/stat/53/1286). of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1596) is amended to read as follows: " “(a) Penalties. Any person who knowingly, or as a result either of gross negligence or of a failure to make a reasonable effort to inform himself of the pertinent facts, violates any provision of this Act or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall pay a fine of not more than $1,000, for the first offense, and upon conviction for each subsequent offense not more than $2,000.” “(b) Any person who violates any provision of this Act or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall forfeit to the United States a sum, not less than $25 or more than $500, for each such violation, which forfeiture shall be recoverable in a civil suit brought in the name of the United States.” " Sec. 2. [53 Stat. 1282](/us/stat/53/1282). Section 204 of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1574) is amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 204. Disclaimers and nonwarranties. The use of a disclaimer or nonwarranty clause in any invoice, advertising, labeling, or written, printed, or graphic matter, pertaining to any seed shall not constitute a defense, or be used as a defense in any way, in any prosecution or other proceeding brought under the provisions of this Act, or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder.” " Sec. 3. [53 Stat. 1288](/us/stat/53/1288). Section 412 of the Federal Seed Act (7 U. S. C. 1602) is amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 412. Separability of proceedings. The institution of any one of the proceedings provided for in sections 405, 406, 409, 410, and 411 shall not bar institution of any of the others, except that action shall not be instituted under both subsections 406

(a)and

(b)for the same cause of action. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to recommend prosecution, or institution of civil penalty proceedings, libel proceedings, cease-and-desist proceedings, or proceedings for the enforcement of a cease-and-desist order, for minor violations of this Act or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder whenever he believes that the public interest will be adequately served by suitable written notice or warning.” " Sec. 4. The amendments made by this Act shall be applicable only with respect to violations occurring after the enactment of this Act. Approved July 9, 1956. Public Law 274: To modify the project for the Saint Mary River, Michigan, South Canal, in order to repeal the authorization for the alteration of the International Bridge as part of such project, and to authorize the Secretary of the Army to accomplish such alteration. Public Law 274 Public Law 274 70 Stat. 509 1956-07-09 United States Government Publishing Office text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Digitization Vendor 2026-02-10 84 2 public

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