Ocean Policy To Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States

Executive Order 13840 of June 19, 2018

Ocean Policy To Advance the Economic, Security,
and Environmental Interests of the United States

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
waters of the United States are foundational to the
economy, security, global competitiveness, and well-
being of the United States. Ocean industries employ
millions of Americans and support a strong national
economy. Domestic energy production from Federal waters
strengthens the Nation's security and reduces reliance
on imported energy. Our Armed Forces protect our
national interests in the ocean and along the Nation's
coasts. Goods and materials that support our economy
and quality of life flow through maritime commerce. Our
fisheries resources help feed the Nation and present
tremendous export opportunities. Clean, healthy waters
support fishing, boating, and other recreational
opportunities for all Americans.

This order maintains and enhances these and other
benefits to the Nation through improved public access
to marine data and information, efficient interagency
coordination on ocean-related matters, and engagement
with marine industries, the science and technology
community, and other ocean stakeholders. To advance
these national interests, this order recognizes and
supports Federal participation in regional ocean
partnerships, to the extent appropriate and consistent
with national security interests and statutory
authorities.

Sec. 2. Policy. It shall be the policy of the United
States to:

    (a) coordinate the activities of executive
departments and agencies (agencies) regarding ocean-
related matters to ensure effective management of
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters and to provide
economic, security, and environmental benefits for
present and future generations of Americans;
    (b) continue to promote the lawful use of the ocean
by agencies, including United States Armed Forces;
    (c) exercise rights and jurisdiction and perform
duties in accordance with applicable domestic law and--
if consistent with applicable domestic law--
international law, including customary international
law;
    (d) facilitate the economic growth of coastal
communities and promote ocean industries, which employ
millions of Americans, advance ocean science and
technology, feed the American people, transport
American goods, expand recreational opportunities, and
enhance America's energy security;
    (e) ensure that Federal regulations and management
decisions do not prevent productive and sustainable use
of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters;
    (f) modernize the acquisition, distribution, and
use of the best available ocean-related science and
knowledge, in partnership with marine industries; the
ocean science and technology community; State, tribal,
and local governments; and other ocean stakeholders, to
inform decisions and enhance entrepreneurial
opportunity; and
    (g) facilitate, as appropriate, coordination,
consultation, and collaboration regarding ocean-related
matters, consistent with applicable law, among Federal,
State, tribal, and local governments, marine
industries, the ocean science

and technology community, other ocean stakeholders, and
foreign governments and international organizations.

Sec. 3. Definitions. For the purposes of this order,
the following definitions apply:

    (a) “Ocean-related matters” means management,
science, and technology matters involving the ocean,
coastal, and Great Lakes waters of the United States
(including its territories and possessions), and
related seabed, subsoil, waters superadjacent to the
seabed, and natural resources.
    (b) “Regional ocean partnership” means a regional
organization of coastal or Great Lakes States,
territories, or possessions voluntarily convened by
governors to address cross-jurisdictional ocean
matters, or the functional equivalent of such a
regional ocean organization designated by the governor
or governors of a State or States.

Sec. 4. Interagency Coordination. (a) To ensure
appropriate coordination by Federal agencies on ocean-
related matters, there is hereby established the
interagency Ocean Policy Committee (Committee).

(i) The Committee shall consist of the following:

(1) The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), who shall
serve as Co-Chairs;

(2) The Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General,
Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce,
Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Homeland
Security, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of
the Office of Management and Budget, Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Director of the National Science
Foundation, Director of National Intelligence, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Assistant
Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), and Commandant of the Coast Guard;

(3) The Assistants to the President for National Security Affairs,
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, Domestic Policy, and Economic
Policy;

(4) A representative from the Office of the Vice President designated by
the Vice President; and

(5) Such other officers or employees of the Federal Government as the Co-
Chairs may from time to time designate.

    (b) The Co-Chairs, in coordination with the
Assistants to the President for National Security
Affairs, Homeland Security and Counterterrorism,
Domestic Policy, and Economic Policy, shall regularly
convene and preside at meetings of the Committee,
determine its agenda, and direct its work, and shall
establish and direct subcommittees of the Committee as
appropriate. The Committee shall, as appropriate,
establish subcommittees with responsibility for
advising the Committee on matters pertaining to ocean
science and technology and ocean-resource management.

(i) Committee members may designate, to perform their Committee or
subcommittee functions, any person who is within their department, agency,
or office who is:

(1) a civilian official appointed by the President;

(2) a member of the Senior Executive Service or the Senior Intelligence
Service;

(3) a general officer or flag officer; or

(4) an employee of the Office of the Vice President.

(ii) Consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations, OSTP or CEQ shall provide the Committee with funding,
including through the National Science and Technology Council pursuant to
title VII, section 723 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public

Law 115-141), or any successor provision, or through the Office of
Environmental Quality pursuant to the Office of Environmental Quality
Management Fund, 42 U.S.C. 4375. OSTP or CEQ shall, to the extent permitted
by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, provide
administrative support as needed to implement this order.

(iii) The Committee shall be administered by an Executive Director and such
full-time staff as the Co-Chairs recommend.

Sec. 5. Functions. To implement the policy set forth in
section 2 of this order, the Committee shall, to the
extent permitted by law:

    (a) provide advice regarding policies concerning
ocean-related matters to:

(i) the President; and

(ii) the head of any agency who is a member of the Committee;

    (b) engage and collaborate, under existing laws and
regulations, with stakeholders, including regional
ocean partnerships, to address ocean-related matters
that may require interagency or intergovernmental
solutions;
    (c) coordinate the timely public release of
unclassified data and other information related to the
ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes that agencies collect,
and support the common information management systems,
such as the Marine Cadastre, that organize and
disseminate this information;
    (d) coordinate and inform the ocean policy-making
process and identify priority ocean research and
technology needs, to facilitate:

(i) the use of science in the establishment of policy; and

(ii) the collection, development, dissemination, and exchange of
information between and among agencies on ocean-related matters;

    (e) coordinate and ensure Federal participation in
projects conducted under the National Oceanographic
Partnership Program through the Committee's members, as
appropriate, to maximize the effectiveness of agency
investments in ocean research; and
    (f) obtain information and advice concerning ocean-
related matters from:

(i) State, tribal, and local governments; and

(ii) private-sector entities and individuals.

Sec. 6. Cooperation. To the extent permitted by law,
agencies shall cooperate with the Committee and provide
it such information as it, through the Co-Chairs, may
request. The Committee shall base its decisions on the
consensus of its members. With respect to those matters
for which consensus cannot be reached, the Assistant to
the President for National Security Affairs shall
coordinate with the Co-Chairs to present the disputed
issue or issues for decision by the President. Within
90 days of the date of this order, agencies shall
review their regulations, guidance, and policies for
consistency with this order, and shall consult with
CEQ, OSTP, and the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) regarding any modifications, revisions, or
rescissions of any regulations, guidance, or policies
necessary to comply with this order.

Sec. 7. Revocation. Executive Order 13547 of July 19,
2010 (Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the
Great Lakes), is hereby revoked.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the
head thereof;

(ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals; or

(iii) functions assigned by the President to the National Security Council
or Homeland Security Council (including subordinate bodies) relating to
matters affecting foreign affairs, national security, homeland security, or
intelligence.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    June 19, 2018.