Executive Order 11331—Establishment of the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission

WHEREAS the Water Resources Planning Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act, 79 Stat. 244, 42 U.S.C. 1962 et seq.) authorizes the President to declare the establishment of a river basin water and related land resources commission when a request for such a commission is addressed in writing to the Water Resources Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council) by the Governor of a State within which all or part of the basin or basins concerned are located and when such a request is concurred in by the Council and by not less than one-half of the States within which portions of the basin or basins concerned are located, and in the event the Columbia River Basin is involved, by at least three of the four States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; and WHEREAS the Council, by resolution adopted November 14, 1966, concurred in the requests of the Governors of the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming; and did itself request that the President declare the establishment of the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission under the provisions of section 201 of the Act; and WHEREAS the requests of the Governors of the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and the resolution of the Council of November 14, 1966, satisfy the formal requirements of section 201 of the Act; and WHEREAS the Governors of the States of California, Nevada, and Utah have been consulted in regard to small headwater areas in these respective States that contribute small quantities of water to or use small quantities of water from the area of jurisdiction of the Commission; and WHEREAS it appears that it would be in the public interest and in keeping with the intent of Congress to declare the establishment of such a Commission: Now, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 201 of the Act, and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1. Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission. It is hereby declared that the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission is established under the provisions of Title II of the Act. SEC. 2. Jurisdiction of the Commission. It is hereby determined that the jurisdiction of the Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission referred to in section 1 of this order (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) shall extend to the entire area of the State of Washington; the entire area of the State of Oregon, except that drained by the Klamath River system, the Smith River system, and that area draining into Goose Lake; and those portions of the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming lying within the Columbia River drainage, in accordance with the requests of the Governors of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and in accordance with the resolution of the Council. SEC. 3. Membership of the Commission. It is hereby determined that, in accordance with section 202 of the Act, the Commission shall consist of the following: (1) a Chairman to be appointed by the President, (2) one member from each of the following Federal departments and agencies: Department of Agriculture, Department of the Army, Department of Commerce, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Transportation, and the Federal Power Commission, such member to be appointed by the head of each department or independent agency he represents, (3) one member from each of the following States: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, (4) one member from each interstate agency created by an interstate compact to which the consent of Congress has been given and whose jurisdiction extends to the waters of the area specified in section 2, and (5) the Chairman of the United States Entity for the Columbia River Treaty. SEC. 4. Functions to be performed. The Commission and its Chairman, members, and employees are hereby authorized to perform and exercise, with respect to the jurisdiction specified in section 2 of this order, the functions, powers, and duties of such a Commission and of such Chairman, members, and employees, respectively, as set out in Title II of the Act. SEC. 5. Consultation with adjoining States. The Commission is expected to provide for procedures for consultation with the States of California, Nevada, and Utah on any matter which might affect the water and related land resources of the small headwater drainages in each of these States that drain into the area of jurisdiction of the Commission, and to give notice to these States of meetings of the Commission. SEC. 6. International Coordination. The Chairman of the Commission is hereby authorized and directed to refer to the Council any matters under consideration by the Commission which relate to the areas of interest or jurisdiction of the International Joint Commission, United States and Canada. The Council shall consult on these matters as appropriate with the Department of State and the International Joint Commission through its United States Section for the purpose of enhancing international coordination. SEC. 7. Reporting to the President. The Chairman of the Commission shall report to the President through the Council. LYNDON B. JOHNSON The White House March 6, 1967