Volume 69 · 322
Public Law 84–159
To provide research and technical assistance relating to air pollution control.
Approved July 14, 1955
Statutory text
AN ACT
To provide research and technical assistance relating to air pollution control.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That in recognition of the dangers to the public health and welfare, injury to agricultural crops and livestock, damage to and deterioration of property, and hazards to air and ground transportation, from air pollution, it is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress to preserve and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of the States and local governments in controlling air pollution, to support and aid technical research to devise and develop methods of abating such pollution, and to provide Federal technical services and financial aid to State and local government, air pollution control agencies and other public or private agencies and institutions in the formulation and execution of their
Authority.
air pollution abatement research programs. To this end, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare) shall have the authority relating to air pollution control vested in them respectively by this Act.
Sec. 2.
The Surgeon General is authorized, after careful investigation and in cooperation with other Federal agencies, with State and local government air pollution control agencies, with other public and private agencies and institutions, and with the industries involved, to prepare or recommend research programs for devising and developing methods for eliminating or reducing air pollution. For the purpose of this subsection the Surgeon General is authorized to make joint investigations with any such agencies or institutions.
The Surgeon General may (1) encourage cooperative activities by State and local governments for the prevention and abatement of air pollution; (2) collect and disseminate information relating to air pollution and the prevention and abatement thereof; (3) conduct in the Public Health Service, and support and aid the conduct by State and local government air pollution control agencies, and other public and private agencies and institutions of, technical research to devise and develop methods of preventing and abating air pollution; and (4) make available to State and local government air pollution control agencies, other public and private agencies and institutions, and industries, the results of surveys, studies, investigations, research, and experiments relating to air pollution and the prevention and abatement thereof.
Sec. 3.
The Surgeon General may, upon request of any State or local government air pollution control agency, conduct investigations and research and make surveys concerning any specific problem of air pollution confronting such State or local government air pollution control agency with a view to recommending a solution of such problem.
Sec. 4.
The Surgeon General shall prepare and publish from time to time reports of such surveys, studies, investigations, research, and experiments made under the authority of this Act as he may consider desirable, together with appropriate recommendations with regard to the control of air pollution.
Sec. 5.
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for each of the five fiscal years during the period beginning July 1, 1955, and ending June 30, 1960, not to exceed $5,000,000 to enable it to carry out its functions under this Act and, in furtherance of the policy declared in the first section of this Act, to (1) make grants-in-aid to State and local government
Grants-in-aid and contracts.
air pollution control agencies, and other public and private agencies and institutions, and to individuals, for research, training, and demonstration projects, and (2) enter into contracts with public and private agencies and institutions and individuals for research, training, and demonstration projects. Such grants-in-aid and contracts may be made without regard to sections 3648 and 3709 of the
Revised Statutes. Sums appropriated for such grants-in-aid and contracts shall remain available until expended, and shall be allotted by the Surgeon General in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Sec. 6.
When used in this Act—
Definitions.
The term “State air pollution control agency” means the State health authority, except that in the case of any State in which there is a single State agency other than the State health authority charged with responsibility for enforcing State laws relating to the abatement of air pollution, it means such other State agency;
The term “local government air pollution control agency” means a city, county, or other local government health authority, except that in the case of any city, county, or other local government in which there is a single agency other than the health authority charged with responsibility for enforcing ordinances or laws relating to the abatement of air pollution, it means such other agency; and
The term “State” means a State or the District of Columbia.
Sec. 7.
Nothing contained in this Act shall limit the authority of any department or agency of the United States to conduct or make grants-in-aid or contracts for research and experiments relating to air pollution under the authority of any other law.
Approved July 14, 1955.