Executive Order 11495—Providing for the Administration of the Disaster Relief Act of 1969

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Disaster Relief Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-79, approved October 1, 1969; hereinafter referred to as the Act) and section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. The following-described authorities shall be exercised by the Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness:

(1) The authority conferred upon the President by section 2 of the Act to allocate funds for the permanent repair and reconstruction of street, road, and highway facilities.

(2) The authority conferred upon the President by section 3 (d) of the Act to make grants to any State or political subdivision thereof, for the purpose of removing damaged timber from privately-owned lands when the Director determines it to be in the public interest.

(3) The authority conferred upon the President by subsections (a) and (b) of section 8 of the Act to provide assistance, including grants, to States in developing plans and programs for assisting individuals suffering loss as the result of a major disaster.

(4) The authority conferred upon the President by section 9 of the Act to appoint a Federal coordinating officer to operate in a major disaster area.

(5) The authority conferred upon the President by section 10 of the Act to provide temporary dwelling accommodations for displaced individuals and families.

(6) The authority conferred upon the President by section 12 of the Act to provide assistance to any individuals unemployed as a result of a major disaster.

(7) The authority conferred upon the President by section 13 of the Act to make grants and loans to States for suppression of fires.

(8) The authority conferred upon the President by section 14 of the Act to make grants to any State or political subdivision thereof for the purpose of removing debris from private property when the Director determines it to be in the public interest.

(9) The authority to prescribe such rules and regulations as the Director deems necessary and proper to perform the functions assigned by this section.

SEC. 2. The Secretary of Agriculture shall exercise the authority conferred upon the President by section 11 of the Act to determine the need and the duration of the need for distributing food coupon allotments and surplus commodities as a result of a major disaster, and to distribute them under such terms and conditions as he may prescribe.

SEC. 3. (a) The Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness may carry out any authority or function delegated or assigned to him by the provisions of this order through any other officer of the Office of Emergency Preparedness.

(b) The Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness may delegate or assign to the head of any agency of the executive branch of the Government, subject to the consent of the agency head concerned in each case, any authority or function delegated or assigned to the said Director by the provisions of this order. Any such head of agency may redelegate any authority or function so delegated or assigned to him by the Director to any officer or employee subordinate to such head of agency whose appointment is required to be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

SEC. 4. (a) Federal assistance under section 1 of this order will be made available on the basis of a Federal-State agreement.

(b) Allocations of funds appropriated to the President to carry out the Act shall be authorized by the President.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

November 18, 1969