the cooperation and participation of all local, State and Federal agencies and officials. We must also enlist the active support of industry and our private citizenry in this all-out effort against the blight of pollution. Inaction or procrastination now will only heighten the problem in years to come. We must all make sacrifices in terms of energy and dollars if we are to succeed in this monumental task. Our local govern The State of New York is aroused and has swung into action. ments are prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to win the battle against pollution. Now, the Federal Government must take a realistic approach to the problem and take appropriate action to help control and eliminate pollution from our Nation's lakes, rivers and streams. Gentlemen, once again, I am delighted that you have chosen to probe the pollution problems in the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario area, and I offer you my fullest cooperation and assistance in this most worthy endeavor. COUNTY OF MONROE, Hon. ROBERT E. JONES, Hall of Justice, Rochester, N.Y. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The county of Monroe is pleased to welcome you and your committee and staff to this community. I am also pleased that we are able to provide you with the facilities of the hall of justice. I trust your requirements have been fulfilled adequately. Your deliberations deal with a subject that is both urgent and timely. No community is immune to the problems of water pollution and every community needs all of the guidance and support in dealing with the problem. The county of Monroe is the center of one of the most active pollution abatement programs anywhere in the State of New York. You will receive details of what is being done here in a report later in your hearings from our county health director, Dr. Wendell R. Ames, a former State epidemiologist in New York State. I am sure we will benefit by the information you collect during this mission to our area and I hope your committee will benefit from what we are able to contribute in the way of explanation of the local approach to our pollution problems in this metropolitan county. Sincerely yours, GORDON A. HOWE, Mr. JONES. Now, since we are the recipients of the hospitality of Mr. Horton, who is, as I said, a valuable member of the subcommittee, I am quite sure that he would like to make a statement to the subcommittee. Mr. Horton. STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK HORTON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK Mr. HORTON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I would like to express my pleasure and that of the people I have the honor to represent of Rochester, Monroe County, and Wayne County at having our subcommittee here for these hearings. Water pollution is a subject of serious concern locally as well as nationally. We welcome the subcommittee and the chance to have our water-use problems studied by a congressional body. It always is an enjoyable and enlightening experience to work with you, Mr. Chairman, and with our colleagues on the Natural Resources and Power Subcommittee, in searching for solutions to this most important problem of water pollution. An adequate supply of clean water is essential for human nutrition and recreation; municipal, industrial, and farm purposes; wildlife preservation; power; and natural beauty. We in western New York are fortunate in having water abundance in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Finger Lakes and our many rivers, streams, and ponds. In all, New York has 31⁄2 million acres of lakes and ponds, 70,000 miles of rivers and streams-and an average daily runoff from rainfall of 48 billion gallons. Yet much of this water is rendered unusable by untreated or poorly treated wastes that are poured into it. Communities serving 3 million people in the State have no treatment plants whatever, and dump raw sewage into our waters. Another 3 million New Yorkers are served by inadequate treatment facilities. Most of these have only primary treatment operations, removing only about one-third of the contaminants from the effluent. We are, in any case, confronted with a serious pollution problem. We cannot approach it casually. There is the absolute necessity to act promptly and positively. Beyond my own service on this subcommittee, I have proposed legislation to deal with various aspects of the pollution problem. One measure proposes to double-from $150 million to $300 millionthe appropriations made by Congress to help municipalities construct sewage treatment plants. This should help ease the tax burden on municipalities with limited financial resources. In a second bill, I have proposed tax incentives to private industries to encourage the construction of facilities for the treatment of industrial wastes. Many of the chemical wastes and other industrial wastes pouring out of manufacturing complexes are either left untreated or pass unaffected through conventional treatment facilities to pollute our waters and cause serious health hazards. This bill provides help to offset the high costs of construction and to put adequate facilities within reach of industries using large quantities of water. A third bill I am sponsoring provides that the Army Corps of Engineers study the Great Lakes Basin and give a comprehensive report on the water resources of the Great Lakes and measures which can be taken to assure high quality water. Incidentially, I have worked very closely with the chairman of this subcommittee, Mr. Jones of Alabama, with regard to this resolution. Earlier this month I testified before the House Public Works Committee, urging that the study be undertaken immediately so that action will result as soon as possible. While the Army Corps of Engineers is familiar with all the problems of the Great Lakes, their work has been piecemeal, always concentrated on a particular port or harbor. The pollution problem, however, requires that action be taken on a comprehensive basis. It is for the purpose of working out a plan of development of the water and related land resources of the entire basin that I introduced H.R. 15595. It would provide for a comprehensive study which could immediately be translated into action. It would be conducted by the very agency, the Corps of Engineers, which would be taking action on the recommendations of the study. The Corps of Engineers has considered H.R. 15595 and has agreed to the need for such a study. As General Woodbury, acting Director of Civil Works of the Corps of Engineers, said in a letter to the chairman of the Public Works Committee: Since the large concentration of people and industry on the Great Lakes Basin has caused water quality, water supply, recreation, navigation, and other related water and land use problems, it is considered that a study is warranted at this time * * * The estimated cost of a study is $1,800,000 and would take about 3 years to complete. He goes on to point out that adoption of a resolution by this committee asking the Corps of Engineers to conduct the review would be sufficient authorization. I am convinced that the study should be undertaken immediately so that positive, constructive action according to a comprehensive plan can begin as soon as possible. Locally, I have been interested in all efforts to reduce pollution. A flood control and water pollution survey of Irondequoit and Allens Creek was authorized as the result of a bill I introduced in the 88th Congress; Brighton, Irondequoit, and Penfield received Federal grants under the Water Pollution Control Act for sewer system improvement. Marion in Wayne County received funds for planning a new sanitary sewer system. Additionally, I can report that headway is being made on all fronts with the New York State bond issue of $1 billion for pollution abatement. Further, the city of Rochester now is planning the modernization of facilities. Its actions are crucial to the antipollution effort, since every day its plant pumps 96 million gallons of effluent into Lake Ontario. Over the years this subcommittee has conducted extensive investigations into the water pollution problem. This year the subcommittee has prepared reports of the waste treatment facilities of Federal installations, and a report recommending separation of sanitary and storm sewers in urban renewal projects. All of these measures have been designed to advance our struggle against pollution. It is a continuing struggle that my colleagues and I are concerned with here today. It is time for imaginative proposals, dedicated action, and perseverance. President Johnson has expressed his deepest concern over the sad condition of so many of our Nation's water courses. He has given his full support to all measures aimed at improving the quality of our waters. Just last year he signed an Executive order requiring all Federal installations to clean up their effluents. The 1965 Water Quality Act was passed and I might add parenthetically that the chairman of this subcommittee was one of the moving forces in the enactment of that bill, and this subcommittee, as a result of its factfinding and fact gathering in the 88th Congress, provided much of the background for the passage of that act. New York State has taken firm action with its recent bond issue, and stricter enforcement of realistic laws. Here in Rochester, the grand jury last year investigated the situation in Monroe County. Rochester this year has instituted a water pollution control tax intended to raise nearly $1 million for the antipollution effort. Though a small amount compared to the expense needed to clean up waterways in this county alone, it is a start. The city's capital budget provides for four new sewage chlorination stations in the city. The city has hired more men to work in the operation of its sewage treatment plants. The problem, although seldom seen by the average citizen, is of grave importance to his health and well being. Many private organizations have conducted studies and worked for pollution abatement. The Democrat and Chronicle, our morning newspaper, has carried an extensive series of articles to bring the local situation to the attention of the public. All that has been done and all that remains to be done makes Rochester a good place in which to study water pollution problems. Many aspects of the general pollution problem as it exists across the country are apparent here. Lake Ontario and the Genesee River are being polluted from many sources. Many storm and sanitary sewers are still combined and overflow into the Genesee River with every rain storm. There are even sewers in older parts of town which were installed when Andrew Jackson was President. These stone box sewers are not adequate to our modern needs. Several industries are known polluters to one degree or another. all wastes get secondary treatment. Not It is useless for a few of the polluters to clean up their operations without the others doing so as well. Uniform laws are needed and they must be strictly enforced. It is very expensive for individual industries, or municipalities, to clean up their wastes without outside financial aid or incentives. The problem can seem very discouraging when viewed as a whole, but it must be viewed in that way. Federal leadership, initiative, aid, and direction are necessary to help communities such as Rochester cope with their pollution problems. The lower Genesee, according to studies, is biologically dead. Not far from us is Lake Erie, a once majestic waterway, now also biologically dead-incapable of renewing itself. These are examples of what we shall reap if we continue to sow the seeds of pollution. Today we have the chance to study pollution problems as they exist in one of our Nation's most forward-looking and prosperous areas. Yet, for all that has been done, and is being done, the community still has polluted water flowing in its river and washing on its beaches. While we haven't yet reached the crisis point of closing those beaches, we may have to, unless further vigorous action is taken. These hearings should give us an opportunity to formulate courses of action to help solve our pollution problems. We are most fortunate in having with us today experts who have studied pollution and its abatement extensively. Their analyses of the problem and their ideas as to how the Federal Government can more effectively join battle to clean our Nation's waters will be most helpful and appreciated. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to thank all of you who are participating today for contributing to the effort against pollution. Again, Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, and other Members of Congress, Mr. Conable and Mr. McCarthy, welcome to Rochester. We are most happy to have the subcommittee here today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. JONES. Thank you, Mr. Horton. Our next witness will be Mr. Frank T. Lamb, the mayor of Rochester. Mr. Mayor, we are very pleased to have you. I have been excited about the thought of coming to Rochester. I have heard of the Flower City all my life, and this is my first opportunity to visit with you. Do I understand that it is not the Flower City any more? What is it called now? Is it something like "the Magic City?" STATEMENT OF HON. FRANK T. LAMB, MAYOR OF ROCHESTER, N.Y. Mayor LAMB. Well, we do things magically. It will be a stroke of magic if we can solve all our pollution problems, too. We are very pleased to have you here, Mr. Chairman. Mr. JONES. We are all pleased that we could come to Rochester, for a variety of reasons. I do not think that there has been, or that there is, a city in the United States that has established itself in the minds of the people as a cultural city any more than the city of Rochester, with its fine colleges and universities and cultural developments that we are pleased to acknowledge. Mayor LAMB. Thank you very much. We are glad you are so well informed about our city. Well, Mr. Jones and Mr. Horton, and the distinguished Members of the House of Representatives, ladies and gentlemen: I am delighted to appear here this morning to extend to you a warm welcome on behalf of the city of Rochester and, especially, to greet once again my former city council colleague, Congressman Horton. Rochester, as Congressman Horton well knows, has had a long and enviable record of community advance, not only in the field of water pollution abatement, but also in dozens of others. And on the really important issues-and one of them is water pollution abatementcity councilmen on both sides of the aisle unanimously supported measures to reduce the pollution of the Genesee River and Lake Ontario. I am sure, Mr. Jones and other members of this subcommittee, that Congressman Horton will recall that this was an area in which we never disagreed. It must be stated, additionally, that this city's record of cooperation with State and other officials concerned about pollution is equally proud. We have, as you may know, agreed to a program of tremendous local expense, after about a week of negotiation with the State department of health. We have cooperated, we are cooperating, and we will cooperate. At the same time, I would be remiss if I did not remind you gentlemen of the impact of such a costly program on the hard-pressed taxpayers of this city. We are tackling problems of great magnitude in a variety of areas, and at increasingly heavy expense. We need additional assistance, financial assistance, and I will repeat, we need additional financial assistance, from the Federal Government, and we hope you will strive to obtain it for us. Many of the basic problems we are attacking are economic and social ones national in nature and scope-education, urban renewal, housing, beautification, job training, and so on. It is an almost endless litany. Gentlemen, as you know, the assistant to the city manager, Mr. James E. Malone, will present, later in the day, the city administration's position with respect to the subject at hand. Our city manager, Dr. Seymour Scher, is out of town, and he expressed to me, before his departure, his regret at being unable to participate in this hearing. In conclusion, let me say that I hope your stay here will be a very pleasant one. Thank you very much. Mr. JONES. Mr. Mayor, all of us can appreciate the enormous problem involved in running a large metropolitan area such as Rochester. |