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EO 12319Executive OrderReagan · R

Executive Order 12319

River Basin Commissions

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In simple terms

This executive order terminates six river basin commissions established under the Water Resources Planning Act, with five closing on September 30, 1981 and the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission closing on December 31, 1981. It directs federal agencies to cooperate in orderly transitions to member states, transfers federal assets to states with OMB approval, and revokes the original executive orders establishing each commission.

46 FR 45591
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Record & deadlines

  1. Signed

    Signed by the President

  2. FR published

    Published in the Federal Register · 46 FR 45591

  3. Revocation of Executive Order 11659 takes effect

  4. Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission terminates

  5. Revocation of Executive Orders 11331, 11345, 11371, 11578, and 11658 takes effect

  6. Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Ohio, New England, and Missouri River Basin Commissions terminate

Key directives

  • Terminate Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Ohio, New England, and Missouri River Basin Commissions effective September 30, 1981
  • Terminate Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission effective December 31, 1981
  • Federal agencies shall cooperate with commissions and member states for orderly close-out and transition
  • Transfer federal assets to member states or their designees for water resources planning purposes, subject to OMB Director approval
  • Federal agency members directed to continue coordination in future state and interstate basin planning arrangements
  • Revoke Executive Orders 11331, 11345, 11371, 11578, and 11658 effective October 1, 1981
  • Revoke Executive Order 11659 effective January 1, 1982

Who is ordered

Prior policy

  • revokeExecutive Order 11331 (Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission)
  • revokeExecutive Order 11345 (Great Lakes Basin Commission)
  • revokeExecutive Order 11371 (New England River Basins Commission)
  • revokeExecutive Order 11578 (Ohio River Basin Commission)
  • revokeExecutive Order 11658 (Missouri River Basin Commission)
  • revokeExecutive Order 11659 (Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission)

Related orders

  • revokesEO 11331
  • revokesEO 11345
  • revokesEO 11371
  • revokesEO 11578
  • revokesEO 11658
  • revokesEO 11659

What to expect

Immediate

  • Five river basin commissions terminate September 30, 1981
  • Federal cooperation with close-out begins

Near term (90d)

  • Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission terminates December 31, 1981
  • Executive order revocations take effect October 1, 1981 and January 1, 1982
  • Asset transfers to states with OMB approval

Long term

  • Shift from federal-interstate water planning to state-led basin arrangements
  • Permanent elimination of Water Resources Act commission structure

Risks & tensions

  • Tight 21-day wind-down for five commissions may create operational disruption
  • OMB approval requirement for asset transfers could delay or complicate state transitions
  • Vague standard for 'appropriate' commission activities eligible for state transition (Sec. 2)
  • No specified deadline for asset transfers, leaving timing uncertain
  • Potential tension between federal 'continue coordination' directive and elimination of institutional infrastructure
Executive Order 12319: River Basin Commissions · Executive Orders