69
STAT.]
provide for the control and drainage of water in the anthracite coal formations and thereby conserve natural resources, promote national security, prevent injuries and loss of life, and preserve public and private property. SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized, in order to carry out the above-mentioned purposes, to make financial contributions on the basis of programs or projects approved by the Secretary, to the (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (hereinafter designated as the "(Commonwealth'-) for control and drainage of water which, if not so controlled or drained, will cause the flooding of anthracite coal formations, said contributions to be applied to the cost of drainage works, pumping plants, and related facilities but subject, however, to the jfollowing conditions and limitations: (a) The amounts authorized to be contributed by the Secretary of the Interior to the (Commonwealth shall be equally matched by the Commonwealth; (b) The total amount of contributions by the Secretary of the Interior under the authority of this Act shall not exceed $8,500,000; (c) The amounts contributed by the Secretary of the Interior under the authority of this Act and the equally matched amounts contributed by the Commonwealth shall not be used for operating and maintaining projects constructed pursuant to this Act; (d) The Commonwealth shall have full responsibility for installing, operating, and maintaining projects constructed pursuant to this Act, and shall give evidence, satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior, that it will enforce effective installation, operation, and maintenance safeguards; and (e) Projects constructed pursuant to this Act shall be so located, operated, and maintained as to provide the maximum conservation of anthracite coal resources and, where possible, to avoid creating inequities among those mines which may be affected by the waters to be controlled thereby. SEC. 3. The Commonwealth shall furnish to the Secretary of the Interior a statement with respect to the project showing work done, the status of the project, expenditures and amounts obligated, at such times and in such detail as the Secretary of the Interior shall require for the purposes of this Act. SEC. 4. Whenever the Secretary of the Interior, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing, finds that there is a failure to expend funds m accordance with the terms and conditions governing the Federal contribution for such approved projects, he shall notify the Commonwealth that further payments will not be made to the Commonwealth from appropriations under this Act until he is satisfied that there will no longer be any such failure. Until he is so satisfied the Secretary of the Interior shall withhold the payment of any financial contributions to the Commonwealth. SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Interior shall render to Congress on or before the first day of February of each year for four consecutive years, commencing on or before February 1, 1957, a report of the progress and accomplishments of the program provided for by this Act. SEC. 6. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Approved July 15, 1955. 54402 O - 55 - 23
353
PUBLIC LAW 162-JULY 15, 1955
U. S. c o n t r i b u tions to Pennsylvania.
Matching mounts.
I n s t a l l a tions, etc.
Statement.
W i t h h o l d i n g of payments.
Report to Congress.
Appropriation. Poat, p. 460.
�
