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EO 13956Executive OrderTrump 45 · R Quiet signal

Executive Order 13956

Modernizing America's Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure

This executive order establishes a Water Subcabinet co-chaired by the Interior Secretary and EPA Administrator to coordinate federal water resource management across agencies. It mandates reports and recommendations to reduce duplication among hundreds of federal water working groups, improve water storage and quality, modernize infrastructure planning, and address workforce shortages in the water sector through fiscal year 2025 milestones.

Federal Register Open PDF 85 FR 65647

Impact dates

  1. First annual update on Sec. 5 action status

  2. Recommend integrated infrastructure planning actions and priorities

  3. Submit workforce development recommendations

  4. Submit water resource management report with FY2021-2025 milestones

  5. Identify federal water interagency working groups and provide consolidation recommendations

Key directives

  • Establish Water Subcabinet co-chaired by Secretary of Interior and EPA Administrator (Sec. 3)
  • Within 90 days: identify all federal water interagency working groups and recommend consolidation to CEQ, OMB, OSTP (Sec. 4)
  • Within 120 days: submit report with FY2021-2025 agency milestones on water storage, quality, systems, and data (Sec. 5)
  • Within 150 days: recommend integrated infrastructure planning actions to OMB, CEQ, and economic policy assistant (Sec. 7)
  • Within 150 days: develop workforce recommendations with Labor, HHS, Education, VA consultation (Sec. 8)
  • Annual updates on Sec. 5 actions starting 1 year after submission (Sec. 6)

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Water Subcabinet established with specified membership

Near term (90d)

  • Identification of federal water interagency working groups and consolidation recommendations due (Sec. 4)
  • 120-day report on water resource management actions with FY2021-2025 milestones due (Sec. 5)
  • 150-day recommendations on integrated infrastructure planning due (Sec. 7)
  • 150-day workforce development recommendations due (Sec. 8)

Long term

  • Annual status updates on Sec. 5 actions beginning 1 year after that report
  • Implementation of FY2021-2025 milestones across multiple agencies

Risks & tensions

  • Subject to availability of appropriations may limit implementation (Sec. 9(b))
  • Coordination burden across 6+ cabinet agencies with potentially competing priorities
  • Vague 'as appropriate' and 'to the extent practicable' language creates enforcement uncertainty
  • Workforce recommendations require consultation with 4 additional agencies, potentially slowing action
  • Annual reporting obligation may outlast administration without statutory backing
Executive Order 13956: Modernizing America's Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure · Executive Orders