9 V.S.A. § 4131: Purpose and findings

The Legislature hereby finds and declares: that adequate supplies of fuel are essential to the health, welfare, and safety of the people of the State of Vermont; that 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; that such interruptions should be responded to by reliance to the greatest extent practicable on the free market system; and that temporary and concurrent State authority for a fuel set-aside program should be in place as the federal government terminates, suspends, or fails to implement all or part of the federal program.