En virtud de la autoridad que me confieren como Presidente la Constitución y las leyes de los Estados Unidos de América, por la presente se ordena:

Sección 1. Política. Durante semanas, los residentes del área de Los Ángeles han visto cómo los incendios arrasadores consumían sus hogares, pertenencias, queridas mascotas y recuerdos de la infancia. Casi de inmediato, los bomberos no pudieron combatir el incendio debido a que los hidrantes estaban secos, los depósitos de agua vacíos y la infraestructura hídrica era inadecuada. Hoy, al menos 28 personas han perdido la vida y miles más han perdido todo lo demás, y algunas estimaciones de daños calculan que los daños ascienden a cientos de miles de millones de dólares.

Esta tragedia afecta a toda la nación, por lo que es de interés nacional garantizar que California tenga lo que necesita para prevenir y combatir estos incendios y otros en el futuro. Por lo tanto, es política de los Estados Unidos proporcionar al sur de California los recursos hídricos necesarios, a pesar de las políticas estatales o locales activamente perjudiciales. Y es política de los Estados Unidos ayudar a los estadounidenses en áreas de desastre a través de políticas receptivas que los empoderen de manera más efectiva para reconstruir y recuperar sus medios de vida.

Sección 2. Anulación de políticas desastrosas de California. (a) El Secretario de Defensa, el Procurador General, el Secretario de Seguridad Nacional, el Secretario de Comercio, el Secretario del Interior y el Secretario de Agricultura tomarán rápidamente todas las medidas, en consonancia con todas las autoridades aplicables, para garantizar recursos hídricos adecuados en el sur de California. Cada uno de ellos me informará en un plazo de 15 días sobre todas las autoridades, incluidas las autoridades de emergencia, disponibles para garantizar, exigir, mantener o utilizar la infraestructura necesaria para combatir y prevenir incendios forestales masivos en el sur de California. 

(b) En particular, el Secretario del Interior y el Secretario de Comercio tomarán inmediatamente medidas para anular las actividades existentes que obstaculizan indebidamente los esfuerzos para maximizar las entregas de agua. El Secretario del Interior y el Secretario de Comercio considerarán medidas que incluyan aquellas que sean compatibles con la “Alternativa de no acción” en la Declaración de impacto ambiental final emitida el 15 de noviembre de 2024 por la Oficina de Recuperación sobre la operación a largo plazo del Proyecto del Valle Central y el Proyecto de Agua del Estado.

(c)  The Secretary of the Interior, including through the Bureau of Reclamation, shall utilize his discretion to operate the CVP to deliver more water and produce additional hydropower, including by increasing storage and conveyance, and jointly operating federal and state facilities, to high-need communities, notwithstanding any contrary State or local laws.  The Bureau of Reclamation shall take all available measures to ensure that State agencies — including the California Department of Water Resources — do not interfere with the Bureau of Reclamation’s operation of the project to maximize water delivery to high-need communities or otherwise, including but not limited to the issuance of a new Record of Decision maximizing water deliveries and consistent with the 2020 Record of Decision.

(d)  In accordance with section 6 of the Executive Order of January 20, 2025 (Declaring a National Energy Emergency), the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, and in accordance with section 1536 of title 16 United States Code, shall expedite action related to any exemption under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., for the Long-Term Operation of the CVP and the State Water Project for all applicable threatened and endangered species.

(e)  The Secretary of the Interior shall promptly review, revise, or rescind any regulations or procedures specific to implementation of section 1536 of title 16 United States Code, as needed and consistent with applicable law, to conform with the plain meaning of the statute.

(f)  The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall identify all ongoing or potential major water-supply and storage projects within the State of California for which they have joint responsibility under the ESA or individual responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.

(g)  For each such project identified under subsection (f), the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall each designate one federal official to coordinate each agency’s respective NEPA and ESA compliance responsibilities. Within 30 days from the date of this order, each designated official shall identify any regulatory hurdles that unduly burden each respective water project, identify any recent changes in state or Federal law that may impact such projects from a regulatory perspective (including Public Law 118-5), and shall develop a proposed plan, for review by the Secretaries, to appropriately suspend, revise, or rescind any regulations or procedures that unduly burden such projects and are not necessary to protect the public interest or otherwise comply with the law.  In so doing, each designated federal official will coordinate and share all appropriate information that will enable improved efficiencies.  For the purposes of this order, “unduly burden” means to unnecessarily obstruct, delay, curtail, impede or otherwise impose significant costs on the permitting, utilization, transmission, delivery, or supply of water resources and water infrastructure.

Sec. 3.  Ending the Subsidization of California’s Mismanagement.  (a) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall review all Federal programs, projects, and activities for all relevant agencies that impact land management, water availability, water supply, water storage and delivery, water infrastructure, and disaster preparedness and response.

(b)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, to ensure that State and local jurisdictions promote sensible land management practices and reliable water supply for all Americans, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Commerce shall jointly report to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, regarding California State and local policies or practices inconsistent with sound disaster prevention and response.

(c)  The Director of OMB, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall recommend appropriate action to the President, regarding:

(i)   any lack of compliance by California with the terms of existing Federal grants, contracts, or other financial assistance to States or localities; and

(ii)  beneficial additional terms that may be added with respect to any future Federal programs, projects, or activities to ensure sound disaster prevention and response.

Sec. 4.  Additional Actions to Help Los Angeles Families.  (a)  Housing Displaced Families.  The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, shall expeditiously provide an Integrated Federal Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan to the Director of OMB and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs that expedites options for housing relief to survivors displaced by wildfires in California. 

(b)  Expediting Waste Removal.  Within 5 days from the date of this order, to accelerate the rebuilding of areas devastated by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall develop and execute a plan to expedite the bulk removal of contaminated and general debris.

(c)  Effectively Using Grants to Improve Fire Preparedness.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of FEMA, shall immediately implement a plan to enable the timely and appropriate use of Federal preparedness grants for the City of Los Angeles.  As of the date of this order, the city has yet to use the majority of its $213 million allotment that has accrued since fiscal year 2021.  These Federal preparedness grants shall not be used to support illegal aliens.  The Attorney General, in coordination with the FEMA Administrator, shall investigate the misuse of these grants by the City of Los Angeles and take appropriate action to address such misuse.

Sec. 5.  Additional Actions to Help North Carolina Families.  (a)  Clearing Roads.  To accelerate rebuilding and community recovery, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of FEMA, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration shall immediately take all necessary and appropriate measures, including through direct assistance, loans, and other available means, to expedite roadway clearance or rebuilding, including the section of Interstate 40 in North Carolina that remains closed, and the repair or rebuilding of roads and bridges on private property in areas of North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene.

(b)  Housing Displaced Families.  The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall immediately provide an Integrated Federal Housing Strategy and Implementation Plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs that expedites options for housing relief to survivors displaced by Hurricane Helene.

Sec. 6. General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) la autoridad otorgada por ley a un departamento o agencia ejecutiva, o al jefe del mismo; o

(ii) las funciones del Director de la Oficina de Administración y Presupuesto relacionadas con propuestas presupuestarias, administrativas o legislativas.

(b) Esta orden se implementará de conformidad con la ley aplicable y sujeta a la disponibilidad de asignaciones.

(c) Esta orden no pretende, y no crea, ningún derecho o beneficio, sustantivo o procesal, exigible por ley o en equidad por ninguna de las partes contra los Estados Unidos, sus departamentos, agencias o entidades, sus funcionarios, empleados o agentes, o cualquier otra persona.

LA CASA BLANCA,

    24 de enero de 2025.