Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses

2019-03-29Executive Order 13865
Signed by: Donald Trump
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Headline: Orders Federal Government to Improve Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses

What it does: Agencies must assess EMP risks, share information, conduct R&D and tests, and develop mitigation and recovery plans.

Real World Impact:
  • Identifies priority infrastructure nationwide and requires vulnerability assessments.
  • Creates research, testing, and pilot programs to protect power and communications.
  • Increases government-private information sharing and reporting on EMP threats.
Topics: infrastructure resilience, emergency preparedness, energy grid, national security, space systems

Summary

This order directs the federal government to prepare for and reduce the risks from electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), whether natural or human-made. It requires agencies to assess national critical functions and priority infrastructure, improve research and forecasting, share threat information with private-sector partners, and develop mitigation and recovery plans.

The order assigns specific duties to departments—Defense, Homeland Security, Energy, Commerce, Interior, and others—to run tests, pilot protections, update standards, and report progress to the President to strengthen national resilience.

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