WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2020 – National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP) staff provided an overview of the NDRP’s role under the Presidential Executive Order (EO) issued October 13 on Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure at the National Integrated Drought Information System Executive Council fall meeting on Tuesday.
Established in 2016, the NDRP is an interagency task force responsible for enhancing coordination of federal drought resilience policies and monitoring the implementation of the activities and goals as set out in the Presidential Memorandum that established the partnership. Under the EO, the NDRP will implement the “Priority Actions Supporting Long-Term Drought Resilience” document issued on July 31, 2019.
The EO also establishes the Water Subcabinet as an interagency Water Policy Committee of federal leaders to promote efficient and effective coordination across federal agencies engaged in water-related matters and directs those agencies to work together where they have joint or overlapping responsibilities, including with drought resilience.
“Our agencies have been working together for years to address water concerns, including drought,” said Bill Northey, Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and First Co-Chair of the NDRP. “These partnerships are a large part of how we can protect our food and water supply and build resilience on our farms and ranches and in our communities and businesses.”
“The Trump administration is taking unprecedented steps at the federal level to coordinate and empower states, tribes, local communities, and water users to promote drought preparedness and resiliency and ensure reliable water supply throughout the West,” said Dr. Tim Petty, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of the Interior and Second Co-Chair of the NDRP. “The Water Subcabinet and the NDRP will focus on the needs of the American communities as they prepare, service, and recover from drought.”
The EO directed the Subcabinet to submit a report within 120 days that recommends actions to address a number of water-related issues, identify a recommended lead agency and other relevant agencies, and set out agency milestones for fiscal years 2021-2025. Among the recommendations to be included in the report will be actions to implement the NDRP’s “Priority Actions Supporting Long-Term Drought Resilience” document.