Following a public session on Understanding Groundwater in December 2023, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has launched a working group on America’s groundwater to consider the challenges and opportunities to improve the understanding and stewardship of this critical resource.
PCAST looks forward to working with and learning from the efforts of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, other federal agencies, national and regional stakeholders, and many state and local agencies and organizations.
To support the development of a report to advance government-wide action on groundwater, PCAST is collecting input from the public that addresses the following questions:
- How can PCAST enhance the timely collection of data on groundwater inventory, use, recharge, and flow across the United States to gain a whole-of-country picture of the nation’s groundwater resources?
- How can PCAST effectively model and predict changes in the inventory, recharge, and flow of groundwater in the context of the overall water cycle and provide that information to stakeholders and decision-makers?
- How can PCAST efficiently scale groundwater recharge while mitigating risks?
- How can PCAST ensure clean and safe groundwater, especially for the communities that are affected most by groundwater contamination and depletion?
- How can PCAST engage with communities to successfully ensure a sustainable supply of groundwater, including for agriculture, industry, energy, human consumption, and healthy ecosystems and biodiversity?
- What strategies and incentives can help limit groundwater over-use?
PCAST is inviting written submissions from the public regarding any of these issues or questions, or addressing complementary issues that you think PCAST should consider. NGWA will be submitting comments.
Ideas should be sent no later than July 1, 2024, to pcast@ostp.eop.gov with “Groundwater” in the subject line. Submissions should be no more than 5 pages in length, should provide actionable ideas, and should not include proprietary information or any information inappropriate for public disclosure.
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