President Trump recently signed an Executive Order on “Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure.”
This ensures Federal coordination on water policy is standard practice now and into the future by formally establishing a Water Subcabinet of senior Federal agency officials, according to the White House. The subcabinet intends to facilitate efficient management and modernization of water supplies and systems while also eliminating duplication between agencies.
The Water Subcabinet will be co-chaired by the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. It will include senior officials from the U.S. The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Army, reported the Department of Energy.
“This order will ensure that agencies do that more efficiently and effectively to improve our country’s water resource management, modernize our water infrastructure, and prioritize the availability of clean, safe, and reliable water supplies,” said the White House.
The Water Subcabinet will also work in close coordination with senior officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal agencies as appropriate.
Under the Executive Order the Water Subcabinet will:
- Promote effective and efficient water resources management by reducing duplication between Federal agencies developing water policy;
- Develop a national water strategy to ensure the reliability of water supplies, water quality, water systems, and water forecasting;
- Protect taxpayer investments and improve water infrastructure planning by promoting integrated planning and coordination for drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, water storage and delivery, and water resource management; and
- Support and enhance workforce development to recruit, train, and retain water sector professionals.
