Executive Order 11737—Enlargement of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission

The Governors of the member States of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission and of the Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission, together with the Water Resources Council, have requested, or concurred in, the enlargement of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission to include those portions of the States of Minnesota and North Dakota that are drained by the Souris-Red-Rainy Rivers system. The Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission terminated on June 30, 1973, by operation of Section 7 of Executive Order No. 11359 of June 20, 1967, as amended. I have determined that it would be in the public interest to comply with the above request.

Now, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 201 of the Water Resources Planning Act (42 U.S.C. 1962b), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. Executive Order No. 11659 of March 22, 1972, is hereby amended as follows:

(1) Section 2 is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2 Jurisdiction of the Commission. It is hereby determined that the jurisdiction of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission referred to in Section 1 of this order shall extend to those portions of the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and North Dakota that are located within the Upper Mississippi, Souris, Red, or Rainy River drainage basins. The Upper Mississippi River drainage basin is defined as the drainage basin of the Mississippi River above the mouth of the Ohio River, excluding the drainage basin of the Missouri River above a point immediately below the mouth of the Gasconade River."

(2) Section 3(3) is amended to read as follows: "(3) one member from each of the following States: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and North Dakota,".

(3) Section 5 is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5. Consultation with Adjoining States. The Commission is expected to provide for procedures for consultation with the States of Indiana, Michigan, South Dakota, and Montana on any matter which might affect the water and related land resources of the headwater drainages of the Mississippi River Basin or the drainages of the Souris, Red, or Rainy River Basins in those States and to give notice to those States of meetings of the Commission."

(4) Section 6 is hereby redesignated as Section 7 and a new Section 6 is hereby inserted immediately after Section 5 as follows:

"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 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. 2. All funds, property, records, employees, assets, and obligations of the Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission are, with the concurrence of Governors of the affected States, transferred to the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission, effective as of July 1, 1973.

SEC. 3. Executive Order No. 11359 of June 20, 1967, and Executive Order No. 11635 of December 9, 1971, are hereby superseded.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House,

September 7, 1973.