Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/698

 666

PUBLIC LAW 566-AUG. 4, 1954

Public Law 566 August 4, 1954 [H. R. 6788]

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.

'Secretary, " W o r k s of improvement."

" L o c a l organization."

Assistance to local organizations. Application.

[68 S T A T. C H A P T E R 656

AN ACT To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to cooperate with States and local agencies in the planning and carrying out of works of improvement for soil conservation, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assemhied, That erosion, floodwater, and sediment damages in the watersheds of the rivers and streams of the United States, causing loss of life and damage to property, constitute a menace to the national welfare; and that it is the sense of Congress that the Federal Government should cooperate with States and their political subdivisions, soil or water conservation districts, flood prevention or control districts, and other local public agencies for the purpose of preventing such damages and of furthering the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water and thereby of preserving and protecting the Nation's land and water resources. SEC. 2. For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: The "Secretary"—the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States. "Works of improvement"—any undertaking for— (1) flood prevention (including structural and land-treatment measures) or (2) agricultural phases of the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water in watershed or subwatershed areas not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand acres and not including any single structure which provides more than five thousand acre-feet of total capacity. No appropriation shall be made for any plan for works of improvement which includes any structure which provides more than twenty-five hundred acre-feet of total capacity unless such plan has been approved by resolutions adopted by the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, respectively. A number of such subwatersheds when they are component parts of a larger watershed may be planned together when the local sponsoring organizations so desire. "Local organization"—any State, political subdivision thereof, soil or water conservation district, flood prevention or control district, or combinations thereof, or any other agency having authority under State law to carry out, maintain and operate the works of improvement. SEC. 3. In order to assist local organizations in preparing and carrying out plans for works of improvement, the Secretary is authorized, upon application of local organizations if such application has been submitted to, and not disapproved within 45 days by, the State agency having supervisory responsibility over programs provided for in this Act, or by the Governor if there is no State agency having such responsibility— (1) to conduct such investigations and surveys as may be necessary to prepare plans for works of improvement; (2) to make such studies as may be necessary for determining the physical and economic soundness of plans for works of improvement, including a determination as to whether benefits exceed costs; (3) to cooperate and enter into agreements with and to furnish financial and other assistance to local organizations; Provided,

�