---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6904"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6904"
heading: "Governmental cooperation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6904"
units:
  - "Chapter 82 — Solid Waste Disposal"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §6904. Governmental cooperation

- (a) **Interstate cooperation—** The provisions of this chapter to be carried out by [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) may be carried out by [interstate agencies](/usc/42/6903.md?p=10) and provisions applicable to [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) may apply to interstate regions where such [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and regions have been established by the respective [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) and approved by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1). In any such case, action required to be taken by the Governor of a [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31), respecting regional designation shall be required to be taken by the Governor of each of the respective [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) with respect to so much of the interstate region as is within the jurisdiction of that [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31).
- (b) **Consent of Congress to compacts—** The consent of the Congress is hereby given to two or more [States](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) to negotiate and enter into agreements or [compacts](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=4), not in conflict with any law or treaty of the United States, for—
  - (1) cooperative effort and mutual assistance for the management of [solid waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=27) or [hazardous waste](/usc/42/6903.md?p=5) (or both) and the enforcement of their respective laws relating thereto, and
  - (2) the establishment of such [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), joint or otherwise, as they may deem desirable for making effective such agreements or [compacts](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=4).

  No such agreement or [compact](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=4) shall be binding or obligatory upon any [State](/usc/42/6903.md?p=31) a party thereto unless it is agreed upon by all parties to the agreement and until it has been approved by the [Administrator](/usc/42/6903.md?p=1) and the Congress.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–272, title II, § 1005, as added Pub. L. 94–580, § 2, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2801.)

## Notes

### Executive Documents

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain enforcement functions of Administrator or other official of Environmental Protection Agency under this chapter to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, and subsequent transfer to Secretary of Energy, then to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, see note set out under section 6903 of this title.