Executive Orders

Executive Order 12148--Federal emergency management

Source: The provisions of Executive Order 12148 of July 20, 1979, appear at 44 FR 43239, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 412, unless otherwise noted.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2251 et seq.), the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. Chapter 58 note), the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 143; 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), Section 4 of Public Law 92-385 (86 Stat. 556), Section 43 of the Act of August 10, 1956, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2285), the National Security Act of 1947, as amended, the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061 et seq.), Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973, the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.), Section 202 of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 581c), and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, and in order to transfer emergency functions to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Transfers or Reassignments

1-1. Transfer or Reassignment of Existing Functions.

1-101. All functions vested in the President that have been delegated or assigned to the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency, Department of Defense, are transferred or reassigned to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1-102. All functions vested in the President that have been delegated or assigned to the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, are transferred or reassigned to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including any of those functions redelegated or reassigned to the Department of Commerce with respect to assistance to communities in the development of readiness plans for severe weather-related emergencies.

1-103. All functions vested in the President that have been delegated or assigned to the Federal Preparedness Agency, General Services Administration, are transferred or reassigned to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1-104. All functions vested in the President by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), including those functions performed by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, are delegated, transferred, or reassigned to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1-2. Transfer or Reassignment of Resources.

1-201. The records, property, personnel and positions, and unexpended balances of appropriations, available or to be made available, which relate to the functions transferred, reassigned, or redelegated by this Order are hereby transferred to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

1-202. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall make such determinations, issue such orders, and take all actions necessary or appropriate to effectuate the transfers or reassignments provided by this Order, including the transfer of funds, records, property, and personnel.

Section 2. Management of Emergency Planning and Assistance

2-1. General.

2-101. The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall establish Federal policies for, and coordinate, all civil defense and civil emergency planning, management, mitigation, and assistance functions of Executive agencies.

2-102. The Director shall periodically review and evaluate the civil defense and civil emergency functions of the Executive agencies. In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of those functions, the Director shall recommend to the President alternative methods of providing Federal planning, management, mitigation, and assistance.

2-103. The Director shall be responsible for the coordination of efforts to promote dam safety, for the coordination of natural and nuclear disaster warning systems, and for the coordination of preparedness and planning to reduce the consequences of major terrorist incidents.

2-104. The Director shall represent the President in working with State and local governments and private sector to stimulate vigorous participation in civil emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery programs.

2-105. The Director shall provide an annual report to the President for subsequent transmittal to the Congress on the functions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The report shall assess the current overall state of effectiveness of Federal civil defense and civil emergency functions, organizations, resources, and systems and recommend measures to be taken to improve planning, management, assistance, and relief by all levels of government, the private sector, and volunteer organizations.

2-2. Implementation.

2-201. In executing the functions under this Order, the Director shall develop policies which provide that all civil defense and civil emergency functions, resources, and systems of Executive agencies are:
(a) founded on the use of existing organizations, resources, and systems to the maximum extent practicable;
(b) integrated effectively with organizations, resources, and programs of State and local governments, the private sector and volunteer organizations; and
(c) developed, tested and utilized to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from the effects on the population of all forms of emergencies.

2-202. Assignments of civil emergency functions shall, whenever possible, be based on extensions (under emergency conditions) of the regular missions of the Executive agencies.

2-203. For purposes of this Order, "civil emergency" means any accidental, natural, man-caused, or wartime emergency or threat thereof, which causes or may cause substantial injury or harm to the population or substantial damage to or loss of property.

2-204. In order that civil defense planning continues to be fully compatible with the Nation's overall strategic policy, and in order to maintain an effective link between strategic nuclear planning and nuclear attack preparedness planning, the development of civil defense policies and programs by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be subject to oversight by the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council.

2-205. To the extent authorized by law and within available resources, the Secretary of Defense shall provide the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency with support for civil defense programs in the areas of program development and administration, technical support, research, communications, transportation, intelligence, and emergency operations.

2-206. All Executive agencies shall cooperate with and assist the Director in the performance of his functions.

2-3. Transition Provisions.

2-301. The functions which have been transferred, reassigned, or redelegated by Section 1 of this Order are recodified and revised as set forth in this Order at Section 4, and as provided by the amendments made at Section 5 to the provisions of other Orders.

2-302. Notwithstanding the revocations, revisions, codifications, and amendments made by this Order, the Director may continue to perform the functions transferred to him by Section 1 of this Order, except where they may otherwise be inconsistent with the provisions of this Order.

Section 3. Federal Emergency Management Council

3-1. Establishment of the Council.

3-101. There is hereby established the Emergency Management Council.

3-102. The Council shall be composed of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who shall be the Chairman, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and such others as the President may designate.

3-2. Functions of the Council.

3-201. The Council shall advise and assist the President in the oversight and direction of Federal emergency programs and policies.

3-202. The Council shall provide guidance to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the performance of functions vested in him.

3-3. Administrative and General Provisions.

3-301. The heads of Executive agencies shall cooperate with and assist the Council in the performance of its functions.

3-302. The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall provide the Council with such administrative services and support as may be necessary or appropriate.

Section 4. Delegations

4-1. Delegation of Functions Transferred to the President.

4-101. [Revoked]

[Sec. 4-101 revoked by Executive Order 12155 of Sept. 10, 1979, 44 FR 53071, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 426. Executive Order 12155 revoked in its entirety as of Jan. 3, 1988 by P.L. 100-180 of Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1247, 50 U.S.C. 98 note]

4-102. The functions vested in the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization by Sections 103 and 303 of the National Security Act of 1947, as amended by Sections 8 and 50 of the Act of September 3, 1954 (Public Law 779; 68 Stat. 1228 and 1244) (50 U.S.C. 404 and 405), were transferred to the President by Section 1(a) of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), and they are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-103. (a) The functions vested in the Federal Civil Defense Administration or its Administrator by the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2251 et seq.), were transferred to the President by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, and they are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(b) Excluded from the delegation in subsection (a) is the function under Section 205(a)(4) of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2286(a)(4)), relating to the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on the merit basis that was delegated to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management by Section 1(b) of Executive Order No. 11589, as amended (Section 2-101(b) of Executive Order No. 12107).

4-104. The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is authorized to redelegate, in accord with the provisions of Section 1(b) of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958 (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), any of the functions delegated by Sections 4-101, 4-102, and 4-103 of this Order.

4-105. The functions vested in the Administrator of the Federal Civil Defense Administration by Section 43 of the Act of August 10, 1956 (70A Stat. 636) were transferred to the President by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), were subsequently revested in the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization by Section 512 of Public Law 86-500 (50 U.S.C. App. 2285) [the office was changed to Office of Emergency Planning by Public Law 87-296 (75 Stat. 630) and to the Office of Emergency Preparedness by Section 402 of Public Law 90-608 (82 Stat. 1194)], were again transferred to the President by Section 1 of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973 (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), and they are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-106. The functions vested in the Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness by Section 16 of the Act of September 23, 1950, as amended (20 U.S.C. 646), and by Section 7 of the Act of September 30, 1950, as amended (20 U.S.C. 241-1), were transferred to the President by Section 1 of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973 (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), and they are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-107. That function vested in the Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness by Section 762(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as added by Section 161(a) of the Education Amendments of 1972, and as further amended (20 U.S.C. 1132d-l(a)), to the extent transferred to the President by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973 (50 U.S.C. App. 2271 note), is hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-2. Delegation of Functions Vested in the President.

4-201. The functions vested in the President by the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. Chapter 58 note), are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-202. The functions (related to grants for damages resulting from hurricane and tropical storm Agnes) vested in the President by Section 4 of Public Law 92-385 (86 Stat. 556) are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

4-203. The functions vested in the President by the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), except those functions vested in the President by Section 301 (relating to the declaration of emergencies and major disasters), Section 401 (relating to the repair, reconstruction, restoration, or replacement of Federal facilities), and Section 409 (relating to food coupons and surplus commodities), are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[Sec. 4-203 amended by Executive Order 12381 of Sept. 8, 1982, 47 FR 39795, 3 CFR, 1982 Comp., p. 207]

4-204. The functions vested in the President by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), are delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[Sec. 4-204 amended by Executive Order 12381 of Sept. 8, 1982, 47 FR 39795, 3 CFR, 1982 Comp., p. 207]

4-205. Effective July 30, 1979, the functions vested in the President by Section 4(h) of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 714b(h)), are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[Sec. 4-205 added by Executive Order 12155 of Sept. 10, 1979, 44 FR 53071, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 426. Executive Order 12155 revoked in its entirety as of Jan. 3, 1988 by P.L. 100-180 of Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1247, 50 U.S.C. 98 note]

4-206. Effective July 30, 1979, the functions vested in the President by Section 204(f) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. 485(f)), are hereby delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[Sec. 4-206 added by Executive Order 12155 of Sept. 10, 1979, 44 FR 53071, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 426. Executive Order 12155 revoked in its entirety as of Jan. 3, 1988 by P.L. 100-180 of Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1247, 50 U.S.C. 98 note]

4-207. The functions vested in the President by Section 502 of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2302), are delegated to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

[Sec. 4-207 added by Executive Order 12381 of Sept. 8, 1982, 47 FR 39795, 3 CFR, 1982 Comp., p. 207]

Section 5. Other Executive Orders

5-1. Revocations.

5-101. Executive Order No. 10242, as amended, entitled "Prescribing Regulations Governing the Exercise by the Federal Civil Defense Administrator of Certain Administrative Authority Granted by the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950", is revoked.

5-102. Sections 1 and 2 of Executive Order No. 10296, as amended, entitled "Providing for the Performance of Certain Defense Housing and Community Facilities and Service Functions", are revoked.

5-103. Executive Order No. 10494, as amended, relating to the disposition of remaining functions, is revoked.

5-104. Executive Order No. 10529, as amended, relating to federal employee participation in State and local civil defense programs, is revoked.

5-105. Section 3 of Executive Order No. 10601, as amended, which concerns the Commodity Set Aside, is revoked.

5-106. Executive Order No. 10634, as amended, relating to loans for facilities destroyed or damaged by a major disaster, is revoked.

5-107. Section 4(d)(2) of Executive Order No. 10900, as amended, which concerns foreign currencies made available to make purchases for the supplemental stockpile, is revoked.

5-108. Executive Order 10952, as amended, entitled "Assigning Civil Defense Responsibilities to the Secretary of Defense and Others", is revoked.

5-109. Executive Order 11051, as amended, relating to responsibilities of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, is revoked.

5-110. Executive Order 11415, as amended, relating to the Health Resources Advisory Committee, is revoked.

5-111. Executive Order 11795, as amended, entitled "Delegating Disaster Relief Functions Pursuant to the Disaster Relief Act of 1974", is revoked, except for Section 3 thereof.

5-112. Executive Order 11725, as amended, entitled "Transfer of Certain Functions of the Office of Emergency Preparedness", is revoked.

5-113. Executive Order 11749, as amended, entitled "Consolidating Disaster Relief Functions Assigned to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development" is revoked.

5-2. Amendments.

[Sec. 5-2 amends Executive Order 10421 of Dec. 31, 1952, which was revoked by Executive Order 12656of Nov. 18, 1988; Executive Order 10480of Aug. 14, 1953, Chapter 32; Executive Order 10582of Dec. 17, 1954, Chapter 41; Executive Order 10789of Nov. 14, 1958, Chapter 41; Executive Order 11179of Sept. 22, 1964, Chapter 44; Executive Order 11331 of Mar. 6, 1967, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11345 of Apr. 20, 1967, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11371 of Sept. 6, 1967, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11490 of Oct. 28, 1969, which was revoked by Executive Order 12656of Nov. 18, 1988; Executive Order 11578 of Jan. 13, 1971, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11658 of Mar. 22, 1972, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11659 of Mar. 22, 1972, which was revoked by Executive Order 12319of Sept. 14, 1981; Executive Order 11912of Apr. 13, 1976, Chapter 10; Executive Order 11988of May 24, 1977, Chapter 40; Executive Order 12046of Mar. 27, 1978, Chapter 47; Executive Order 12065 of June 28, 1978, which was revoked by Executive Order 12356of Apr. 2, 1982; Executive Order 12075 of Aug. 16, 1978, which was revoked by Executive Order 12379 of Aug. 17, 1982; Executive Order 12083 of Sept. 27, 1978, which was revoked by Executive Order 12379 of Aug. 17, 1982; and Sec. 9.11(b) of Civil Service Rule 9, codified at 5 CFR Part 9. The amendments have been incorporated into the orders codified in this volume.]

Section 6. This Order is effective July 15, 1979.