ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13737Executive OrderObama · D

Executive Order 13737

Providing an Order of Succession Within the Environmental Protection Agency

This executive order establishes the line of succession for who will serve as acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency if both the Administrator and Deputy Administrator are unable to serve. It replaces a 2012 Obama executive order with a new succession list of 16 EPA officials, starting with the General Counsel.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 54713

Impact dates

  1. Revoke Executive Order 13614 of May 21, 2012

Key directives

  • Establish ordered succession list of 16 EPA officials for Administrator role
  • Prohibit acting officials from ascending to Administrator under this order
  • Require eligibility under Federal Vacancies Reform Act
  • Preserve presidential discretion to depart from this order
  • Revoke Executive Order 13614 of May 21, 2012

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Revokes EO 13614 (2012 succession order)
  • New succession order takes effect upon signing

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

  • Remains in effect until revoked or superseded by future administration

Risks & tensions

  • Low institutional tension: routine administrative update to succession planning
  • Presidential discretion clause (Sec. 2(c)) means this order is advisory rather than binding on the President
  • No right or benefit enforceable at law (Sec. 4) limits legal recourse for officials on succession list
Executive Order 13737: Providing an Order of Succession Within the Environmental Protection Agency · Executive Orders