Providing an Order of Succession Within the Environmental Protection Agency

This executive order establishes the line of succession for the EPA Administrator position, specifying which officials would assume acting duties if both the Administrator and Deputy Administrator are unavailable. It revokes the previous succession order from August 2016 and preserves presidential discretion to depart from the designated order.

Federal Register Open PDF 82 FR 7621

Impact dates

Jan 13, 2017
EO takes effect; EO 13737 revoked

Key directives

Designate 16 EPA officials in specified order of succession for Administrator role
Exclude acting officials from ascending by virtue of their acting service
Require eligibility under Federal Vacancies Reform Act for succession
Preserve presidential discretion to depart from designated order
Revoke EO 13737 of August 12, 2016

Timeline

Immediate

Revocation of EO 13737 takes effect
New succession order becomes operative upon signing

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

Succession framework remains in place until superseded by future executive action

Risks & tensions

Low institutional risk but potential tension if rapid succession needed during transition period—EO signed one week before presidential inauguration
Order places General Counsel first in succession, differing from prior order; may reflect policy priorities
Presidential discretion clause (Sec. 2(c)) provides flexibility but creates uncertainty about automaticity of succession