October 13, 2016

On October 13, 2016, President Obama released an executive order addressing space weather hazards in the U.S. The order lays out the roles federal agencies must play to mitigate space weather and explains how agencies should coordinate across sectors and all levels of government in case of an emergency. The agencies listed in the executive order include the Departments of Defense, Interior, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Under the executive order, federal agencies are required to develop prediction tools for space weather events, coordinate communication plans to notify the public in case of an emergency, and establish community-based mitigation efforts to build resilient community infrastructure.

The order requires NSF to support scientific research to better inform space weather mitigation and increase public awareness. It requires NASA to implement a national research program to support the development of space weather forecasting computer models, technology, and sustain overall space weather research.

Each agency is required to submit an initial assessment report on the executive order within 60-120 days of the order’s release.

Sources: The White House Office of the Press Secretary