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Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Bill (December 2011)
The National Defense Authorization Bill includes, for the first time, requirements for the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress whether, and how, the Department of Defense is prepared for the effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP),
"whether natural or manmade. Within 120 days... the report should include the following:
- An assessment of any threats posed by a natural or manmade EMP event, including identifying the foreign countries that may be developing weapons capable of producing a high altitude EMP, the nature of the capabilities, and possible advances in the capabilities over the next 10 years;
- A description of any efforts by the Department of Defense since the 2008 EMP Commission Report was released to address the findings in (1);
- A description of the appropriate authorities, capabilities, procedures, protections, and force structure that the United States may require over the next 10 years to address the findings in (1);
- A description of Government contingency response plans to mitigate the consequences of or remediate after an EMP event, especially with regard to critical infrastructure;
- In the event that no Government contingency response plans exist, a description of what steps are being undertaken by the Department on an emergency basis to respond to an EMP event;
- A description of plans and guidance for military base commanders to be prepared to act on their own authority to provide support to or receive support from local authorities, police, fire, and other emergency services, as well as plans and training with civil first responders in their locality to help restore critical infrastructures and assist the civilian population after a catastrophic EMP event, and;
- An assessment of additional legal authorities or resources that may be needed to develop contingency response plans and capabilities to protect the American people and remediate critical infrastructures after an EMP event."
You can read the entire bill in this PDF file, which has a special bookmark that takes you to page 68, where the text about electromagnetic pulse begins.
Presidential Policy Directive 8 (March 2011)
This policy document–generally known as PPD-8–was released by the White House in March, 2011, and distributed to federal agencies whose job it is to deal with issues of national security–in this case, PPD-8 is a policy for preparedness that will be chiefly implemented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
From the FEMA web site: "The directive was developed to strengthen our Nation’s security and resilience against a variety of hazards, including terrorism, pandemics and catastrophic natural disasters. It also reflects the Administration’s belief that the entire emergency management team – which includes all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors and individual citizens – plays a key role in keeping our communities safe and secure, meeting the needs of survivors when disaster strikes and preventing the loss of life and property."
Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation, 2nd Edition (2010)
This guidance was developed by a Federal interagency committee led by the Executive
Office of the President (National Security Staff and Office of Science and Technology
Policy) with representatives from the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human
Services, Homeland Security (DHS), Labor, Transportation, Veteran's Affairs, the
Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Future editions and interagency coordination related to
Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation will be coordinated by DHS,
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).From the Introduction:
One of the most catastrophic incidents that could befall the United States (US), causing enormous loss of life and property and severely damaging economic viability, is a nuclear detonation in a US city. It is incumbent upon all levels of government, as well as public and private parties within the US, to prepare for this incident through focused nuclear attack response planning. Nuclear explosions present substantial and immediate radiological threats to life and a severely damaged response infrastructure. Local and State community preparedness to respond to a nuclear detonation could result in life-saving on the order of tens of thousands of lives.
The purpose of this guidance is to provide emergency planners with nuclear detonation-specific response recommendations to maximize the preservation of life in the event of an urban nuclear detonation.
After you've read this report, please visit this forum to join other members of EMPact America in the discussions that this report has generated.
NFPA 1600®
Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs 2010 Edition
> download pdf
Initial Economic Assessment of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Impact upon the Baltimore-Washington-Richmond Region by The Sage Policy Group
> download pdf
Are You Ready?
An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness
> download pdf
Target Capabilities List
A companion to the National Preparedness Guidelines
> download pdf
Securing the Modern Electric Grid From Physical and Cyber Attacks
Hearing Before he Subcommittee On Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology of the Committee On Homeland Security, House of Representatives
> download pdf
Protecting the Electric Grid:
H.R. 2165, "The Bulk Power System Protection Act of 2009," and H.R. 2195, "To Amend the Federal Power Act To Provide Addition Authorities To Adequately Protect The Critical Electric Infrastructure Against Cyber Attack, And For Other Puposes"
> download pdf
