Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 77.djvu/425

 77 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 88-206-DEC. 17, 1963

and the increasing use of motor vehicles, has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare, including injury to agricultural crops and livestock, damage to and the deterioration of property, and hazards to air aftd ground transportation; "(3) that the prevention and control of air pollution at its source is the primary responsibility of States and local governments; and "(4) that Federal financial assistance and leadership is essential for the development of cooperative Federal, State, regional, and local programs to prevent and control air pollution, "(b) The purposes of this Act are— "(1) to protect the Nation's air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population; " (2) to initiate and accelerate a national research and development program to achieve the prevention and control of air pollution; "(3) to provide technical and financial assistance to State and local governments in connection with the development and execution of their air pollution prevention and control programs; and "(4) to encourage and assist the development and operation of regional air pollution control programs. "COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES AND UNIFORM LAWS

"SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary shall encourage cooperative activities by the States and local governments for the prevention and control of air pollution; encourage the enactment of improved and, so far as practicable in the li^ht of varying conditions and needs, uniform State and local laws relating to the prevention and control of air pollution; and encourage the making of agreements and compacts between States for the prevention and control of air pollution. " (b) The Secretary shall cooperate with and encourage cooperative activities by all Federal departments and agencies having functions relating to the prevention and control of air pollution, so as to assure the utilization in the Federal air pollution control program of all appropriate and available facilities and resources within the Federal Government. "(c) 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 eJffort and mutual assistance for the prevention and control of air pollution and the enforcement of their respective laws relating thereto, and (2) the establishment of such agencies, joint or otherwise, as they may deem desirable for makiujg effective such agreements or 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 Congress.

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