On October 13, President Trump signed a new executive order, “Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure,” which establishes a Water Subcabinet of senior Federal agency officials to facilitate efficient and effective management and modernization of U.S. water supplies and systems while also eliminating duplication between agencies.
According to the Department of Energy, 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 U.S. 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.
- Support and enhance workforce development to recruit, train, and retain water sector professionals.
The Water Subcabinet will be co-chaired by U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) Secretary David Bernhardt and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, and will include senior officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Commerce (DOC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of the Army (Civil Works). The Water Subcabinet will work in close coordination with senior officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and other federal agencies as appropriate.
