HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2783

BY adding to

Article - Natural Resources

Section 11-201 through 11-212 11-211 to be under the

new subtitle "Subtitle 2. State Standby

Petroleum Fuel Set-Aside"
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1974 Volume and 1981 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Adequate supplies of fuel are essential to the
protection of the public health, safety and welfare of the
people of the State of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, Any severe disruption in fuel supplied for use
within the State would cause grave hardship and pose a
threat to the health and economic well-being of the people
of the State; and

WHEREAS, The existing petroleum distribution system
serves the needs of Maryland fuel users and can be expected
to do so until an acute shortage in petroleum supplies
occurs; and

WHEREAS, Pursuant to federal law, including the
Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-159) as
amended by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P.L.
94-163), the Department has extensive experience
administering a State set-aside program; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 12287 ended the federal
petroleum pricing and allocation controls including State
set-aside on January 28, 1981; and

WHEREAS, The provisions of the Emergency Petroleum
Allocation Act of 1973, as amended by the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act, authorized the implementation of a State
set-aside terminated on September 30, 1981; and

WHEREAS, It is in the public interest for the State of
Maryland to establish and maintain in a state of readiness a
State standby set-aside program which can be activated upon
declaration by the Governor of an energy emergency to
mitigate hardships and emergency conditions caused by a fuel
shortage; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
read(s) as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

SUBTITLE 2. STATE STANDBY PETROLEUM FUEL SET-ASIDE