The commission is authorized to discuss with appropriate state agencies in New York state questions of pollution of waters which flow into the New England area from New York state or vice versa and to further the establishment of agreements on pollution abatement to promote the interests of the New York and New England areas.  

Whenever the commission by majority vote of the members of each signatory state shall have given its approval and the state of New York shall have taken the necessary action to do so, the state of New York shall be a party to this compact for the purpose of controlling and abating the pollution of waterways common to New York and the New England states signatory to this compact but excluding the waters under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Sanitation Commission (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut).