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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages Utah's state and congressional
11 delegations to continue supporting legislation and practices that enhance electrical grid
12 security against natural, accidental, or intentional occurrences, including disruption
13 from electromagnetic pulses, that could potentially interrupt reliable electricity services.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This resolution:
16 ▸ acknowledges safeguarding Utah's electrical infrastructure as a shared function of
17 the federal and state government;
18 ▸ acknowledges the threats to Utah's and the United States' electrical grids from
19 natural, accidental, and intentional occurrences, such as disruption from
20 electromagnetic pulses, that could potentially interrupt reliable electricity services;
21 ▸ references government-commissioned studies that illustrate the capabilities and
22 consequences of such occurrences on civil society; and
23 ▸ supports Utah's continued investment in public policy, technologies, and federal
24 regulatory drills and standards that promote a resilient and reliable electrical grid
25 and will ultimately contribute to the economic development of the state and
26 well-being of all Utahns.
27 Special Clauses:
28 None
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30 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 WHEREAS, protecting our electrical infrastructure is a vital function of the federal and
32 state governments benefitting all citizens;
33 WHEREAS, Utah Code Section 63M-4-301, State Energy Policy, instructs that Utah
34 shall have adequate, reliable, affordable, sustainable, and clean energy resources;
35 WHEREAS, pro-actively supporting the importance of a resilient and reliable electrical
36 grid is congruent with Utah's State Energy Policy;
37 WHEREAS, the United States' electrical infrastructure is vulnerable to damage from
38 natural, accidental, and intentional occurrences, including electromagnetic pulses, that could
39 potentially interrupt reliable electricity services;
40 WHEREAS, studies commissioned by the United States Task Force on National and
41 Homeland Security, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the
42 National Conference of State Legislatures have found that cyberterrorist and physical terrorist
43 attacks could potentially produce electromagnetic interference;
44 WHEREAS, the aforementioned studies also point to the grave consequences that such
45 interference could have for civil society;
46 WHEREAS, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, as designated by the
47 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, regularly proposes mandatory and enforceable
48 reliability standards for physical and cybersecurity for critical electrical infrastructure
49 protection;
50 WHEREAS, the Department of Energy has been given the authority pursuant to the
51 Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-94, to order electric
52 utilities and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation to implement emergency
53 security actions;
54 WHEREAS, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation organizes a two-day
55 security exercise, GridEx, every two years to test the electricity sector's ability to respond to
56 grid security emergencies caused by cyber and physical attacks; and
57 WHEREAS, continued participation in grid security exercises, updates to security
58 standards, and investment in technologies that enhance the resiliency and reliability of Utah's
59 electrical infrastructure are likely to attract businesses and industries that wish to safeguard
60 their data, enhancing Utah's economy:
61 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah calls
62 upon its congressional and state delegations to ensure state and national participation and
63 support of the next GridEx drill in 2019, be informed and ready to implement North American
64 Electric Reliability Corporation reliability standards when they are released or updated, and
65 encourage electric utilities operating in Utah to be prepared to upgrade or replace infrastructure
66 in order to safeguard against natural, accidental, or intentional occurrences, such as
67 electromagnetic pulses, that could potentially interrupt reliable electricity services.
68 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the members of
69 Utah's congressional delegation requesting their support of hardening the electrical grids of
70 Utah and the United States.