Presidential Documents

25619

Federal Register

Vol. 65, No. 85

Tuesday, May 2, 2000

Title 3—

The President

Executive Order 13151 of April 27, 2000

Global Disaster Information Network

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the

laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish a Global

Disaster Information Network to use information technology more effectively

to reduce loss of life and property from natural and man-made disasters,

it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. (a) It is the policy of this Administration to use information

technology more effectively to coordinate the Federal Government’s collection

and dissemination of information to appropriate response agencies and State

governments to prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters

(disasters). As a result of changing population demographics in our coastal,

rural, and urban areas over the past decades, the loss of life and property

(losses) from disasters has nearly doubled. One of the ways the Federal

Government can reduce these losses is to use technology more effectively

to coordinate its collection and dissemination (hereafter referred to collectively as ‘‘provision’’) of information which can be used in both planning

for and recovering from disasters. While many agencies provide disasterrelated information, they may not always provide it in a coordinated manner.

To improve the provision of disaster-related information, the agencies shall,

as set out in this order, use information technology to coordinate the Federal

Government’s provision of information to prepare for, respond to, and recover

from domestic disasters.

(b) It is also the policy of this Administration to use information technology

and existing channels of disaster assistance to improve the Federal Government’s provision of information that could be helpful to foreign governments

preparing for or responding to foreign disasters. Currently, the United States

Government provides disaster-related information to foreign governments

and relief organizations on humanitarian grounds at the request of foreign

governments and where appropriate. This information is supplied by Federal

agencies on an ad hoc basis. To increase the effectiveness of our response

to foreign disasters, agencies shall, where appropriate, use information technology to coordinate the Federal Government’s provision of disaster-related

information to foreign governments.

(c) To carry out the policies in this order, there is established the Global

Disaster Information Network (Network). The Network is defined as the

coordinated effort by Federal agencies to develop a strategy and to use

existing technical infrastructure, to the extent permitted by law and subject

to the availability of appropriations and under the guidance of the Interagency

Coordinating Committee and the Committee Support Office, to make more

effective use of information technology to assist our Government, and foreign

governments where appropriate, by providing disaster-related information

to prepare for and respond to disasters.

Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is established an Interagency Coordinating

Committee (Committee) to provide leadership and oversight for the development of the Network. The Office of the Vice President, the Department

of Commerce through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

and the Department of State, respectively, shall designate a representative

to serve as Co-chairpersons of the Committee. The Committee membership

shall comprise representatives from the following departments and agencies:

25620 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 2, 2000 / Presidential Documents

(1) Department of State;

(2) Department of Defense;

(3) Department of the Interior;

(4) Department of Agriculture;

(5) Department of Commerce;

(6) Department of Transportation;

(7) Department of Energy;

(8) Office of Management and Budget;

(9) Environmental Protection Agency;

(10) National Aeronautics and Space Administration;

(11) United States Agency for International Development;

(12) Federal Emergency Management Agency; and

(13) Central Intelligence Agency.

At the discretion of the Co-chairpersons of the Committee, other agencies

may be added to the Committee membership. The Committee shall include

an Executive Secretary to effect coordination between the Co-chairpersons

of the Committee and the Committee Support Office.

(b) There is established a Committee Support Office (Support Office) to

assist the Committee by developing plans and projects that would further

the creation of the Network. The Support Office shall, at the request of

the Co-chairpersons of the Committee, carry out tasks taken on by the

Committee.

(c) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall provide

funding and administrative support for the Committee and the Support

Office. To the extent permitted by law, agencies may provide support to

the Committee and the Support Office to assist them in their work.

Sec. 3. Responsibilities. (a) The Committee shall:

(1) serve as the United States Government’s single entity for all matters, both national and international, pertaining to the development

and establishment of the Network;

(2) provide leadership and high-level coordination of Network activities;

(3) provide guidance for the development of Network strategies, goals,

objectives, policies, and legislation;

(4) represent and advocate Network goals, objectives, and processes to

their respective agencies and departments;

(5) provide manpower and material support for Network development

activities;

(6) develop, delegate, and monitor interagency opportunities and ideas

supporting the development of the Network; and

(7) provide reports, through the Co-chairpersons of the Committee, to

the President as requested or at least annually.

(b) The Support Office shall:

(1) provide management and administrative support for the Committee;

(2) develop Network strategies, goals, objectives, policies, plans, and

legislation in accordance with guidance provided by the Committee;

(3) consult with agencies, States, nongovernment organizations, and

international counterparts in developing Network development

tasks;

(4) develop and make recommendations concerning Network activities

to the agencies as approved by the Committee; and

(5) participate in projects that promote the goals and objectives of the

Network.

Sec. 4. Implementation. (a) The Committee, with the assistance of the Support

Office, shall address national and international issues associated with the

development of the Network within the context of:

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 2, 2000 / Presidential Documents 25621

(1) promoting the United States as an example and leader in the development and dissemination of disaster information, both domestically and

abroad, and, to this end, seeking cooperation with foreign governments

and international organizations;

(2) striving to include all appropriate stakeholders in the development

of the Network; and

(3) facilitating the creation of a framework that involves public and private

stakeholders in a partnership for sustained operations of the Network.

(b) Intelligence activities, as determined by the Director of the Central

Intelligence Agency, as well as national security-related activities of the

Department of Defense and of the Department of Energy, are exempt from

compliance with this order.

Sec. 5. Tribal Governments. This order does not impose any requirements

on tribal governments.

Sec. 6. Judicial Review. This order does not create any right or benefit,

substantive or procedural, enforceable by law, by a party against the United

States, its officers, its employees, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 27, 2000.

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[FR Doc. 00–11070

Filed 5–1–00; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P