Providing An Order of Succession in the Environmental Protection Agency and Amending Certain Orders on Succession

2002-03-21Executive Order 13261
Signed by: George W. Bush
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Headline: Orders Succession for Environmental Agency Leaders and Updates Succession Rules

What it does: Agencies must follow the listed order to name who acts as the head of the agency that protects the environment if both top officials cannot serve.

Real World Impact:
  • Clarifies who leads the agency that protects the environment during leadership gaps.
  • Prevents temporary ('acting') officeholders from becoming Administrator under this order.
  • Updates succession language for nine other federal departments.
Topics: agency leadership, succession rules, environmental agency, government administration

Summary

This order sets a clear line of who takes over as head of the agency that protects the environment if both the Administrator and Deputy Administrator die, resign, or cannot perform their duties. It lists eleven offices in the order they would act as Administrator and bars people serving only in an acting role from becoming Administrator under this order.

The order also amends similar succession language for nine other federal departments to apply the same restriction, clarifying leadership during vacancies.

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