[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 29431-29434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13640]



[[Page 29429]]

Vol. 83

Friday,

No. 121

June 22, 2018

Part V





The President





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Executive Order 13840--Ocean Policy To Advance the Economic, Security, 
and Environmental Interests of the United States
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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                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

[[Page 29432]]

                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

[[Page 29433]]

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.

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                    (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.

[FR Doc. 2018-13640
Filed 6-21-18; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F8-P