§  211.5   Priorities.

   There are hereby established four levels of restoration priority.
   Within each level, subpriorities may be established by the Executive
   Agent, with the concurrence of the National Security Council, for both
   government and nongovernment services. The subpriorities categories
   currently in use, which have been established by the Executive Agent
   will remain in effect until modified. Compatibility of subcategories
   applicable to government and nongovernment users is essential to
   achieve the objective of a single restoration priority system.

   (a) Priority 1. Priority 1 shall be the highest level of restoration
   priority, and shall be afforded only to Federal and Foreign Government
   private line services, and to Industrial/Commercial services which are
   designated for prearranged voluntary participation with the Federal
   Government in a national emergency. Circuit requirements in this level
   of priority shall be limited to those esential to national survival if
   nuclear attack occurs for:

   (1) Obtaining or disseminating critical intelligence concerning the
   attack, or immediately necessary to maintain the internal security of
   the United States;

   (2) Conducting diplomatic negotiations critical to the arresting or
   limiting of hostilities;

   (3) Executing military command and control functions essential to
   defense and retaliation;

   (4) Giving warning to the U.S. population;

   (5) Maintaining federal Government functions essential to national
   survival under nuclear attack conditions.

   (b) Priority 2. Priority 2 shall be the second highest level of
   restoration priority, and shall be afforded only to Federal and Foreign
   Government private line services, and to Industrial/Commercial services
   which are designated for prearranged voluntary participation with the
   Federal Government in a national emergency. Circuit requirements in
   this level shall be limited to those essential, at a time when nuclear
   attack threatens, to maintain an optimum defense posture and to give
   civil alert to the U.S. population. These are circuit requirements
   whose unavailability would present serious dangers:

   (1) Reducing significantly the preparedness of U.S. defense and
   retalitory forces;

   (2) Affecting adversely the ability of the United States to conduct
   critical preattack diplomatic negotiations to reduce or limit the
   threat of war;

   (3) Interfering with the effectual direction of the U.S. population in
   the interest of civil defense and survival;

   (4) Weakening U.S. capability to accomplish critical national internal
   security functions;

   (5) Inhibiting the provision of essential Federal Government functions
   necessary to meet a preattack situation.

   (c) Priority 3. Priority 3 shall be the third highest level of
   restoration priority and shall be afforded to government,
   quais-government, and Industrial/Commercial private line services:
   Provided, however, That Priority 3 will be afforded circuits serving
   Industrial/Commercial, State, county, municipal, and quasi-state and
   local government agencies only where, during an emergency, at least one
   station in the circuit (or in connected circuits if switched service is
   involved) will be manned continually, or where such circuits are
   automated and will be under constant surveillance from a remote
   location. Circuit requirements in this level shall be limited to those
   necessary for U.S. military defense and diplomacy, for law and order,
   and for national health and safety in a national emergency involving
   heightened possibility of hostilities. These are curcuit requirements
   needed to:

   (1) Insure performance of critical logistic functions, public utility
   services, and administrative-military support functions;

   (2) Inform key diplomatic posts of the situation and of U.S.
   intentions;

   (3) Secure and disseminate urgent intelligence;

   (4) Distribute essential food and other supplies critical to health;

   (5) Provide for critical damage control functions;

   (6) Provide for hospitalization;

   (7) Continue critical Government functions;

   (8) Provide transportation for the foregoing activities.

   (d) Priority 4. Priority shall be the fourth highest restoration
   priority and shall be afforded to government, quasi-government, and
   Industrial/Commercial private line services: Provided, however, That
   Priority 4 will be afforded circuits serving Industrial/Commercial,
   State, county, municipal, and quasi-state and local government agencies
   only where, during an emergency, at least one station in the circuit
   (or in connected circuits if switched service is involved) will be
   manned continually, or where such circuits are automated and will be
   under constant surveillance from a remote location. Circuit
   requirements in this level shall be limited to those necessary for the
   maintenance of the public welfare and the national economy in a
   situation short of nuclear attack, or during reconstitution after
   attack. These include circuit requirements needed to continue the more
   important financial, economic, health, and safety activities of the
   Nation.

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