Volume 76 · 957
Public Law 87–830
Providing that the United States district courts shall have jurisdiction of certain cases Involving pollution of interstate river systems, and providing for the venue thereof.
Approved October 15, 1962
Statutory text
AN ACT
Providing that the United States district courts shall have jurisdiction of certain cases Involving pollution of interstate river systems, and providing for the venue thereof.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That
the United
U. S. district courts.
Jurisdiction, interstate compact water pollution disputes.
States district courts shall have original jurisdiction (concurrent with that of the Supreme Court of the United States, and concurrent with that of any other court of the United States or of any State of the United States, in matters in which the Supreme Court, or any other court, has original jurisdiction) of any case or controversy—
which involves the construction or application of an interstate compact which (A) in whole or in part relates to the pollution of the waters of an interstate river system or any portion thereof, and (B) expresses the consent of the States signatory to said compact to be sued in a district court in any case or controversy involving the application or construction thereof; and
which involves pollution of the waters of such river system, or any portion thereof, alleged to be in violation of the provisions of said compact; and
in which one or more of the States signatory to said compact is a plaintiff or plaintiffs; and
which is within the judicial power of the United States as set forth in the Constitution of the United States.
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of a case or controversy such as is referred to in subsection (a) of this section, without any requirement, limitation, or regard as to the sum or value of the matter in controversy, or of the place of residence or situs or citizenship, or of the nature, character, or legal status, of any of the proper parties plaintiff or defendant in said case or controversy other than the signatory State or States plaintiff or plaintiffs referred to in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this section: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing a State to sue its own citizens in said courts.
The original jurisdiction conferred upon the district courts by this section shall include, but not be limited to, suits between States signatory to such interstate compact: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing a State to sue another State which is not a signatory to such compact in said courts.
The venue of such case or controversy shall be as prescribed
Venue.
by law: Provided, That in addition thereto, such case or controversy may be brought in in any judicial district in which the acts of pollution complained of, or any portion thereof, occur, regardless of the place or places of residence, or situs, of any of the parties plaintiff or defendant.
Sec. 2.
If any part or application of this Act should be declared
Separability.
invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, said invalidity shall not affect the other parts, or the other applications, of said Act.
Approved October 15, 1962.