Contact Taryn Tuss – Exec. Office of the President, Council on Environmental Quality – June 2, 2011

Recognizing that a changing climate will affect the quality and availability of the Nation’s water resources, the Council on Environmental Quality today released a draft Action Plan to help Federal agencies assure adequate water supplies, safeguard water quality, and protect public health and property.  The draft Action Plan will be available for 45 days of public comment to allow the public to provide input and feedback before it is finalized. The Draft National Action Plan for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate recommends Federal agency actions to aid freshwater resource managers in managing and protecting the Nation’s water resources.  It also outlines ways in which Federal agencies can support state, local and tribal governments in their water resources planning by improving access to quality data and information and best practices. The draft Action Plan responds to a 2010 report from the Obama Administration’s interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force that identified freshwater resources planning as a priority. For full press release, click here. To read the Draft National Action Plan for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate and to submit comments, click here.  Comments on the draft Plan will be accepted until Friday, July 15, 2011 at 5:00 PM (EDT)