President Trump signed an executive order on "Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure,” which ensures federal coordination on water policy and establishes a Water Subcabinet of senior federal agency officials to facilitate management and modernization of water supplies and systems while also eliminating duplication between agencies.

The Water Subcabinet will be co-chaired by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, and will include senior officials from USDA, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Army. The Water Subcabinet will work in close coordination with senior officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other federal agencies as appropriate.

“The Water Subcabinet will enhance collaboration among the federal agencies responsible for our nation’s water management, allowing for a more effective and efficient environmental and economic balance of our nation’s water resources for all users,” said R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

Under the executive order, the Water Subcabinet will:

Related:EPA ushers in new water rule

The designees to the newly formed Water Subcabinet:

What designees are saying

“The federal government has the responsibility to ensure all Americans, regardless of their zip code, have access to reliable sources of clean and safe water,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

Related:USDA, EPA collaborate to support rural water systems

“Water is critical to farming and the success of Rural America," said USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. "USDA has already taken the lead to invest in America’s wetlands through projects that inspire creative problem-solving that boosts production on farms, ranches, and private forests – ultimately improving water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat.”

View the executive order here.

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