(a) The Governors of the States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and a representative of the President of the United States are members of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. The Commission is a regional governmental agency whose purpose is to effect comprehensive multiple purpose planning for the conservation, utilization, development, management, and control of the water and related natural resources of the basin, which includes part of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

(b) The Susquehanna River Basin Compact provides broad authority for the Commission to carry out basinwide planning programs and projects, and to take independent action as it determines essential to fulfill its statutory regional governmental role.

(c) The objectives of the Commission are to:

(1) Develop cooperative and coordinated Federal, State, local, and private water and related natural resources planning within the basin,

(2) Formulate, adopt, effectuate, and keep current a comprehensive plan and a water resources program for the immediate and long-range use and development of the water resources of the basin,

(3) Provide for orderly collection and evaluation of data, and for the continuing promotion and conduct of appropriate research relating to water resources problems,

(4) Establish priorities for planning, financing subject to applicable laws, development and use of projects and facilities essential to effectively meet identified water resource needs,

(5) And to maintain these resources in a viable state.

(d) The Commission shall employ a multiobjective approach recognizing national economy, regional development and environmental quality in planning for the use and development of the water resources of the basin.

(e) It is the purpose of this document to set forth the objectives of the Commission and to present certain basic policies that (1) have basinwide application, (2) are specifically pertinent to the formulation of a comprehensive plan, (3) will serve as guidelines for all agencies or individuals with planning responsibilities for the development and use of the water resources of the basin, (4) form the basis for working relationship between the Commission and other agencies having related responsibilities in the basin. This statement will be amended and updated from time to time.