43 U.S.C. § 2001: Findings

a serious crude oil supply shortage may soon exist in portions of the United States; a large surplus of crude oil on the west coast of the United States is projected; any substantial curtailment of Canadian crude oil exports to the United States could create a severe crude oil shortage in the northern tier States; pending the authorization and completion of west-to-east crude oil delivery systems, Alaskan crude oil in excess of west coast needs will be transshipped through the Panama Canal at a high transportation cost; national security and regional supply requirements may be such that west-to-east crude delivery systems serving both the northern tier States and inland States, consistent with the requirements of section 410 of the Act approved November 16, 1973 ( 87 Stat. 594 ), commonly known as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act, are needed; expeditious Federal and State decisions for west-to-east crude oil delivery systems are of the utmost priority; and resolution of the west coast crude oil surplus and the need for crude oil in northern tier States and inland States require the assignment and coordination of overall responsibility within the executive branch to permit expedited action on all necessary environmental assessments and decisions on permit applications concerning delivery systems.