Assistant Secretary for Water and Science

The assistant secretary for water and science provides oversight for the projects and programs of the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Central Utah Project Completion Act Office. The Office of the Assistant Secretary had a fiscal 2016 budget of $749,000 and four full-time equivalents.⁵ The U.S. Geological Survey had a fiscal 2016 budget of $1.2 billion and 8,136 full-time equivalents.⁶ The Bureau of Reclamation has 5,344 employees and a $1.073 billion budget.⁷

• Discharges the duties of the secretary with the authority and direct responsibility for policy and program oversight of water project operations, facility security, natural resource management and research involving geology, hydrology, cartography, biology and technology
• Guides the development of national water and science policies and supports environmental improvement
• Oversees the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project Completion Act Office⁸
• Advises the secretary of the interior on scientific issues, and coordinates and integrates the U.S. Geological Survey with other department bureaus
• Represents the secretary of the interior on the Federal Geographic Data Committee, Civil Applications Committee, Advisory Committee on Water Information, Interagency Global Positioning System Executive Board, Interagency Group for Antarctic Policy, Emergency Mobilization Preparedness and other interagency efforts
• Prepares proposals for the secretary to consider by reconciling and adjusting individual policy proposals and programs submitted by subordinate bureaus and offices
• Assists in developing economically and environmentally sound resource activities, including the development and conservation of the nation’s water supply and support of cost-sharing techniques for developing and managing water supplies in the 17 Western states
• Improves the focus and effectiveness of departmental scientific research in biology, geology, hydrology and geospatial information⁹
• Maximizes effectiveness of program operations of the bureaus
• Provides leadership on water supply conflicts
• Ensures program goals are identified and results are measured against departmental objectives
• Ensures appropriate consultation, communication and coordination with all affected parties in program and policy development and implementation¹⁰
• Sets program priorities based on secretarial policies
• Represents the secretary of the interior in interpreting and communicating assigned program activities
• Assigns responsibilities for the execution of all laws and executive orders
• Liaises with members of Congress and committee staffs
• Testifies before congressional committees on budgetary matters and legislative proposals
• Represents the department in contact with other governmental agencies¹¹

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]