ExecutiveOrdersEO
MemoMemorandumObama · D

Presidential Memorandum

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Our National Parks, National Forests, and Other Public Lands and Waters

This memorandum directs four land and water management agencies to promote diversity and inclusion both in their federal workforces and in public access to national parks, forests, and other public lands. It mandates specific actions including workforce development programs, unconscious bias training, public liaison identification, and action plans to reduce barriers for minority, low-income, disabled, and tribal populations.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 6179

Impact dates

  1. Provide publicly available action plan to CEQ Chair on improving access and addressing barriers for diverse populations

  2. Identify opportunities to promote diverse participation in advisory councils and stakeholder committees

  3. Identify multiple public liaisons with diverse backgrounds

Key directives

  • Covered agencies shall prioritize building diverse and inclusive federal workforce
  • Develop mechanism for periodic voluntary workforce interviews
  • Provide optional exit interviews for departing personnel
  • Collect information on attracting and retaining diverse talent
  • Expand professional development opportunities including SES Candidate Development Programs
  • Redact personal information in SES program selection to reduce unconscious bias
  • Evaluate SES program graduate placement rates annually with demographic data
  • Make unconscious bias training mandatory for senior leadership and management
  • Provide unconscious bias training on 2-year cycle for units with no inclusion score improvement
  • Integrate activities with EO 13583 and EEOC MD-715 assessments; make publicly available
  • HR and diversity staff shall meet with agency leadership at least twice yearly
  • OPM shall continue reviewing agency diversity and inclusion plans

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Memorandum issuance and publication directive

Near term (90d)

  • Public liaisons identified within 90 days
  • Advisory council opportunities identified within 120 days

Long term

  • Action plans due within 1 year
  • Ongoing workforce development and barrier analysis
  • Bi-annual HR and leadership meetings

Risks & tensions

  • Subject to availability of appropriations may limit implementation
  • Phased training implementation 'commensurate with agency resources' creates uncertainty in pace
  • Voluntary workforce interviews may yield incomplete data
  • Redaction of personal information in hiring conflicts with typical merit-based transparency expectations
  • Unspecified metrics for evaluating 'improvement' in inclusion scores
Presidential Memorandum: Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Our National Parks, National Forests, and Other Public Lands and Waters · Executive Orders