Providing Meaningful Water Quality Improvements Through Collaboration and Oversight of Federal Support
- Executive Order Number
- 14428
- President
- Donald Trump
- Signed
- September 16, 2026
- Published
- September 21, 2026
- Source
- Federal Register
- Original Document
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-21/pdf/2026-19335.pdf
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This executive order revokes Executive Order 13508 (2009) on Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration. It aims to eliminate regulatory ambiguity that has enabled stormwater management fees (“rain taxes”) while directing federal resources toward direct, measurable water-quality improvements. The order acknowledges substantial progress in sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen reductions achieved since 2009 and seeks to balance environmental goals with economic impacts on residents and businesses.
Key Actions or Directives
- Revokes Executive Order 13508 in full.
- Instructs the Secretaries of War, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and the EPA Administrator to redirect agency resources to on-the-ground projects that directly reduce nutrient and sediment runoff.
- Requires the EPA to coordinate with the six states and the District of Columbia to:
- Assess financial burdens from stormwater fees.
- Identify non-cost-increasing alternatives.
- Encourage repeal or rescission of such fees.
- Mandates use of objective metrics, empirical data, and documented performance indicators for all funded activities.
Significant Changes to Policy or Law
- Eliminates the broad federal mandate established by the 2009 order that jurisdictions had cited to justify stormwater fees.
- Shifts federal Chesapeake Bay efforts from general coordination and planning to prioritized, outcome-measurable implementation projects.
- Explicitly discourages use of resident-funded stormwater fees for watershed activities.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Requires reallocation of existing funds and personnel toward direct water-quality projects; EPA bears publication costs.
- States and localities: Pressure to review and potentially repeal stormwater management fees.
- Citizens and businesses: Potential reduction or elimination of annual stormwater fees in affected jurisdictions.
- No direct effects on international relations are addressed.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies (EPA and the five listed departments).
- States of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and West Virginia, plus the District of Columbia.
- Residents and small businesses subject to stormwater management fees.
- Local governments implementing Chesapeake Bay watershed programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Revocation of a prior executive order removes any federal policy basis previously invoked for stormwater fees.
- The order states it does not create enforceable rights and is subject to available appropriations and existing law.
- Emphasizes empirical, measurable outcomes over broad programmatic mandates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.