SHIELD Act to Protect From Solar Catastrophes and Electromagnetic Pulses

First, let me give credit to ~Lucidity for posting about this a while back when it was just surfacing as a bill.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It’s among the greatest threats facing America today, U.S. Congressman Trent Franks states bluntly: a tremendous electromagnetic pulse, either naturally occurring or from a small nuclear device detonated outside the atmosphere.

A large enough pulse (EMP) could destroy the electric grid, notably the rare and very expensive transformers that form the grid's backbone. Without them and the power they deliver, a vast swath of American technology and every system that relies upon it would go dark for months or even years, some fear -- essentially sending the country back to the stone age.

And we’re utterly unprepared for this potentially catastrophic threat, said Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy and former assistant secretary of defense under Ronald Reagan.

“A pre-industrial society, which is what we would be reduced to, would not have the ability to sustain itself as we do today,” he told FoxNews.com.

A 2004 panel bluntly described the effects of a "Carrington Event," named for the largest solar storm in history, an 1859 solar blast that shook the planet. Bill Graham, chairman of the panel, said as many as 9 out of 10 of could be killed in the aftermath, Gaffney said.

“Think of people in cities with no access to food or water, no sewage, no access to transport to get out of there … those become dead zones in a matter of weeks or at most months. And the population living off the land elsewhere may be able to sustain itself, but nowhere like what we have at the moment,” Gaffney said.

“It’s really grim,” he told FoxNews.com.

To address this threat, Congressman Trent Franks and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich introduced a bill Tuesday to protect the grid. Called the SHIELD Act, or the Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage, the bill would push the federal government to install grid-saving devices, surge protectors that could save the transformers and power system from EMPs.

I am rather impressed that the US Government is paying attention to this as a serious threat to our existence and way of life. Besides ourselves, there is no greater threat to us than the sun. If ever we had a catastrophe, we would depend on electricity to rebuild. Without it, we would be reduced to almost nothing, so this is a great step in the right direction.

Let's hope it doesn't end up mired in policy and and regulations.

Source

~Namaste

I don't see much of a problem living a few years without power. I would like it to come back after a few years though, it will be a break from the ratrace. When people see how peaceful everything is they may not want to return to the rat race.

I doubt if the bill will pass. Sounds like newt is an ATSer.

reply to post by SonOfTheLawOfOne
Wasn't that the plot of one of the Highlander movies?
Just sayin'.....

There is no question the electrical grid is vulnerable... the questions are: does sufficient technology exist to create surge protection for such high-power applications, and if so, what will it cost?

Congress has this habit of simply assuming a thing is possible because they want it to be. Hopefully there is technology available and affordable to implement this. I honestly have no idea if it exists or not.

TheRedneck

The powers that be know this has happened many thousands of times in the past. A credible threat that can be protected against and create industry

They CAN fix this, they just don't, because as long as an EMP or heave doesn't happen, it doesn't show up as a benefit, just a cost.

So it's a short sighted bookkeeping thing. The transformers could have been designed a bit better and that would have worked too.

To be honest, I just think the most important reason for th't hurt'tis is, not getting thrown back and lose the advance on other cultures, that might use this as a way to take over power.

Also, it wouldn't hurt if a lot of people die. No matter how you feel about it, it gives us the chance to create a way of life that is more sustainable. It will also end a lot of problems we face today.

No offense.