Executive Order 14422: Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America
President: Donald J. Trump
Directed the Interior Secretary and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to adopt “Lake America” as the federal domestic name for Lake Ontario and told federal agencies to update their usage.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 14422 still in effect? Yes. Active; federal naming usage directed, international name unchanged.
What does Executive Order 14422 do?
The text directs Interior and BGN to update federal name records and guidance, and Agencies to use directed name in federal materials.
Reading the operative provisions of Executive Order 14422
EO 14422 directs the Interior Secretary and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to adopt “Lake America” as the federal domestic name for Lake Ontario and asks federal agencies to update their usage. The Federal Register text concerns U.S. federal naming conventions; it does not by itself change Canada’s geographic names or the international boundary.
The Board on Geographic Names standardizes names used by U.S. federal agencies and maps. A domestic federal naming decision affects agency records, publications and federal map products. Other governments and international organizations may use a different name, and the order does not amend treaties, navigation rights or the legal status of the waterway.
Changing maps and databases takes time, and an agency’s use of the new name does not mean every private map or Canadian publication must follow it. To understand practical implementation, check the Board’s official decision, federal map updates and agency notices. The executive order sets the federal naming policy, while cross-border legal arrangements and navigation remain governed by separate law.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names coordinates standard federal usage, and agencies can update domestic maps and databases under that authority. This does not determine the name used in Canadian law, international navigation charts or bilateral treaties. The federal change is therefore primarily an administrative naming decision. Agencies should make the scope clear so the new domestic label is not mistaken for a change to sovereignty or border status.
Before and after
Before the order
Lake Ontario was the established domestic and international geographic name used by the United States and Canada.
After the order
Federal naming officials and agencies were told to update federal domestic records and usage. The 30-day deadline falls on September 26, 2026, after this review.
USGS Board on Geographic Names material and Canadian official geographic-name resources were checked on September 15. No completed federal record change, amendment, revocation or material order-specific litigation was located at that date.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Interior and BGN | Update federal name records and guidance | 30 days |
| Agencies | Use directed name in federal materials | Ongoing |
| State | Address international and diplomatic usage | As appropriate |
What happened next
EO 14422 signed.
Thirty-day federal naming implementation deadline.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The President can direct executive-branch terminology and the domestic federal naming process, subject to governing law. That authority does not amend treaties or boundary law and does not bind Canada, states, international bodies or private speakers.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 15, 2026. How we research →