Presidential Documents

29431 

Federal Register 

Vol. 83, No. 121 

Friday, June 22, 2018 

Title 3— 

The President 

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 


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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 


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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. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

June 19, 2018. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13640 

Filed 6–21–18; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3295–F8–P 


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