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EO 14428Executive OrderTrump 47 · R

Executive Order 14428

Providing Meaningful Water Quality Improvements Through Collaboration and Oversight of Federal Support

Energy & EnvironmentEnergy & EnvironmentEconomy & LaborEconomy & LaborDemocracy & GovernanceDemocracy & Governance

In simple terms

This order revokes Executive Order 13508 (2009 Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration), which the administration blames for enabling local 'rain taxes' without clear environmental benefit. It directs federal agencies to prioritize direct, measurable water quality projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and encourages repeal of stormwater management fees on residents.

Federal Register Open PDF 91 FR 59975

Record & deadlines

  1. Signed

    Signed by the President

  2. FR published

    Published in the Federal Register · 91 FR 59975

    Federal Register PDF

  3. Agency assessments and resource reallocation toward direct projects

  4. EPA coordination with states on stormwater fee assessment and alternatives

Key directives

  • Revoke Executive Order 13508
  • Secretaries of War, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and EPA Administrator shall assess and redirect agency resources to direct on-the-ground projects with highest water quality impact
  • All agencies providing Chesapeake Bay funding shall prioritize direct nutrient and sediment reduction projects
  • EPA shall coordinate with watershed states and DC to assess stormwater fee burdens, explore cost-neutral alternatives, and encourage repeal of such fees
  • All strategies must use objective metrics, empirical data, and document performance indicators including sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen load reductions

Who is ordered

Prior policyRollback

  • revokeEO 13508

Related orders

What to expect

Immediate

  • Revocation of EO 13508 takes effect
  • Federal agencies must begin reassessing Chesapeake Bay funding priorities

Near term (90d)

  • EPA coordination with watershed states on stormwater fee assessment
  • Agency assessments of current support and reallocation toward direct projects

Long term

  • Potential repeal/rescission of local stormwater management fees
  • Shift in federal funding patterns toward measurable nutrient/sediment reduction projects

Risks & tensions

  • No explicit deadlines or enforcement mechanisms for agency compliance
  • Encouragement to repeal local fees is non-binding; states/localities may resist federal pressure
  • Potential tension between 'economic health' framing and continued environmental commitments under 2025 Watershed Agreement
  • Vague 'highest need' and 'most impactful' criteria leave room for interpretation
  • Revocation of EO 13508 may create regulatory uncertainty for ongoing state programs
Executive Order 14428: Providing Meaningful Water Quality Improvements Through Collaboration and Oversight of Federal Support · Executive Orders