REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 2 OF 1966 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 2 OF 1966, PREPARED IN FEBRUARY 28, 1966.-Referred to the Committee on Government Operations, and ordered to be printed with accompanying papers. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL To the Congress of the United States: I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1966, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended, and providing for reorganization of certain water pollution control functions. Thirty-five years ago Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure." Only recently has the truth of this observation entered the public conscience. For we now recognize that the Nation's rivers, far from being treasured, have been carelessly neglected for too long. Today we face a harsh reality. Our waters are burdened with blight. We know that every river system in America suffers from some degree of pollution. This menace is growing more serious with every passing day. We have just begun to take the steps to clean and restore our waters. The task is immense. The journey will be long. If our new programs are to succeed we must combine our efforts— Federal, State, local, and private in new and creative partnerships. The attack against water pollution should be unified and coordinated. It should be carried forward as an integral part of comprehensive planning for the development of river basins. But, most importantly, the Government's management structure must be strengthened and reshaped to meet the challenges that lie ahead. In my February 23 message on the quality of our environment I stated: *** we must reorganize the Federal effort. In the past, the Federal antipollution effort has been organizationally separate from water conservation and use programs. One agency should assume leadership in our clean water effort. The Department of the Interior, for many years, has been concerned with the comprehensive management and development of the Nation's water resources. It plans, constructs, and operates multiple-purpose water and related land resources projects. It carries on research and development on the removal of minerals from water. It administers the Water Resources Research Act. The Secretary of the Interior also serves as Chairman of the Water Resources Council responsible for coordinating river basin planning. Under the Clean Rivers Restoration Act of 1966 and other legislation which I have recently proposed, the Secretary will become the focal point for Federal efforts in this area. It is wise management to place under his control the related resources and authority now in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The reorganization plan maintains a proper and effective role for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare with respect to the health aspects of pollution. At the same time it places in the Department of the Interior all of the necessary tools to move forward the drive to clean America's waters. The reorganization plan herewith transmitted will transfer to the Secretary of the Interior the functions of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act except for responsibilities relating to public health for which the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has special competence. That Department will retain responsibility under section 3(b) of the act for advising on public health questions involved in determinations by Federal agencies of the need for and value of the inclusion of storage for water quality control in Federal reservoirs. The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration would be transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior in administering the act will also be required to consult with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on public health aspects relating to water pollution. This consultative responsibility is now vested in the Surgeon General by section 2(k) of the Water Quality Act of 1965. The plan transfers that responsibility to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Water Pollution Control Advisory Board and the hearing boards provided for in the act would be transferred to the Department of the Interior, together with their respective functions. The reorganization plan also makes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare a member of the Advisory Board and gives him the opportunity to select a member of each hearing board. The reorganization plan would in no way impair the rights and benefits of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service who may transfer to the Water Pollution Control Administration. The reorganization to be accomplished by the plan transmitted herewith will enable the Federal Government to organize for action against pollution on a river basin basis under the unified leadership of the Secretary of the Interior. After investigation, I have found and hereby declare that each reorganization included in the accompanying reorganization plan is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes set forth in section 2(a) of the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended. I have also found and hereby declare that it is necessary to include in the accompanying reorganization plan, by reason of the reorganizations made thereby, provision for the membership of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on the Water Pollution Control Advisory Board and for the appointment and compensation of an additional Assistant Secretary of the Interior. The rate of compensation fixed for that officer is that which I have found to prevail in respect of comparable officers in the executive branch of the Government. The reorganizations provided for in the reorganization plan transmitted herewith will produce significant long-range savings and economies by reason of the efficiencies in organization and in the elimination of duplication of effort it will bring about. It is, however, impracticable to specify or itemize at this time the reductions of expenditures which it is probable will be brought about by the taking effect of the reorganizations included in the reorganization plan. I recommend that the Congress allow the accompanying plan to become effective. THE WHITE HOUSE, February 28, 1966. LYNDON B. JOHNSON. REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 2 OF 1966 Prepared by THE PRESIDENT and TRANSMITTED TO THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, FEBRUARY 28, 1966, PURSUAnt to the PROVISIONS OF THE REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1949, 63 Stat. 203, as Amended WATER POLLUTION CONTROL SECTION 1. TRANSFERS OF FUNCTIONS AND AGENCIES. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all functions of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, hereinafter referred to as the Act (33 U.S.C. 466 et seq.), including all functions of other officers, or of employees or agencies, of that Department under the Act, are hereby transferred to the Secretary of the Interior. (b) The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration is hereby transferred to the Department of the Interior. (c) (1) The Water Pollution Control Advisory Board, together with its functions, is hereby transferred to the Department of the Interior. (2) The functions of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (including those of his designee) under section 9 of the Act shall be deemed to be hereby transferred to the Secretary of the Interior. (3) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall be an additional member of the said Board as provided for by section 9 of the Act and as modified by this reorganization plan. (d) (1) The Hearing Boards provided for in sections 10(c) (4) and 10(f) of the Act, including any Boards so provided for which may be in existence on the effective date of this reorganization plan, together with their respective functions, are hereby transferred to the Department of the Interior. (2) The functions of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under the said sections 10(c) (4) and 10(f) shall be deemed to be hereby transferred to the Secretary of the Interior. (3) The Secretary of the Interior shall give the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare opportunity to select a member of each Hearing Board appointed pursuant to sections 10(c) (4) and 10(f) of the Act as modified by this reorganization plan. (e) There are excepted from the transfers effected by subsection (a) of this section (1) the functions of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under clause (2) of the second sentence of section 1(b) of the Act, and (2) so much of the functions of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under section 3(b) (2) of the Act as relates to public health aspects. (f) The functions of the Surgeon General under section 2(k) of the Water Quality Act of 1965 (79 Stat. 905) are transferred to the Secre |