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PUBLIC LAW 791-JULY 25, 1956

[70

ST A T.

a ARTICLE VII

"The compact administrators may request the United States Forest Service to act as the primary research and coordinating agency of the Middle Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact in cooperation with the appropriate agencies in each state, and the United States Forest Service may accept the initial responsibility in preparing and presenting to the compact administrators its recommendations with respect to the regional fire plan. Representatives of the United States Forest Service may attend meetings of the compact administrators. a ARTICLE VIII

"The provisions of Articles IV and V of this compact which relate to mutual aid in combating, controlling or preventing forest fires shall be operative as between any state party to this compact and any other state which is party to a regional forest fire protection compact in another region: Provided, That the legislature of such other state shall have given its assent to such mutual aid provisions of this compact. "ARTICLE

IX

"This compact shall continue in force and remain binding on each state ratifying it until the legislature or the governor of such state takes action to withdraw therefrom. Such action shall not be effective until six months after notice thereof has been sent by the chief executive of the state desiring to withdraw to the chief executives of all states then parties to the compact." SEC. 2. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly reserved. Approved July 25, 1956.

Public Law 791 July 25, 1956 [S. 2895]

D. C, r a i l w a y highway grade elimination structure.

Payments.

CHAPTER 720 AN ACT

To amend the Acts of February 2H, 11)08, and March 3, 1927, rehiting to the payment of the cost and expense of constructing railway-highway yrade elimination structures in the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the /Senate and House of Repvenentatioe^ of the United States of America in CongrenH assembled, That the second sentence of the second paragraph of section 10 of the Act of February 28, 1903 (32 Stat. 918), as amended (sec. 7-1214, D. C. Code, 1951 edition), is amended to read as follows: "The cost and expense of any project for opening any such street or highway within the limits of such railroad company's right-of-way, including the cost of constructing the portion of any viaduct bridge, within said limits, shall be borne and paid as follows: "(1) The District of Columbia shall apply to the payment of such cost and expense all Federal aid highway-railway grade separation funds available for use by the District of Columbia at the time any such project is programed and all such funds which become available for use on such projects by the District of Columbia during the construction of such project; "(2) If such Federal aid highway-railway ^rade separation funds are insufficient to pay the cost and expense of any such project, the portion not so covered shall be paid one-half by the railroad company, its successors and assigns, whose tracks are crossed and one-half by

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