U.S. EPA senior administration officials announced Priority Actions Supporting Long-Term Drought Resilience.
This is a document outlining ways federal agencies can support state, tribal and local efforts to protect food supply security, integrity of critical infrastructure, resilience of the economy, and the health and safety of U.S. people and ecosystems.
It was developed by the National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP). According to the EPA, the partnership was formed to promote long-term drought resilience across the U.S.
States have the authority to manage their own water resources. However, federal agencies have an important role in “supporting states, tribes, communities, agriculture, industry, and the private sector owners and operators of critical national infrastructure to prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from drought, ” according to the EPA.
“We know we can accomplish more when we work together, and the National Drought Resilience Partnership facilitates collaboration among federal partners to help the country respond to drought and to prepare for the future,” said Bill Northey, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “These priorities are a large part of our game plan to how we can protect our food and water supply, and to build resilience on our farms and ranches and in our communities and businesses.”
The NDRP has six goals to address how the government supporting long-term drought resilience, which include:
- Data Collection and Integration
- Communicating Drought Risk to Critical Infrastructure
- Drought Planning and Capacity Building
- Coordination of Drought Activity
- Market-based Approaches for Infrastructure and Efficiency
- Innovative Water Use, Efficiency, and Technology
