The Congress finds and declares that—

(1) the demand for energy in the United States is increasing and will continue to increase for the foreseeable future;

(2) domestic production of oil and gas has declined in recent years;

(3) the United States has become increasingly dependent upon imports of oil from foreign nations to meet domestic energy demand;

(4) increasing reliance on imported oil is not inevitable, but is rather subject to significant reduction by increasing the development of domestic sources of energy supply;

(5) consumption of natural gas in the United States has greatly exceeded additions to domestic reserves in recent years;

(6) technology is or can be made available which will allow significantly increased domestic production of oil and gas without undue harm or damage to the environment;

(7) the Outer Continental Shelf contains significant quantities of oil and natural gas and is a vital national resource reserve which must be carefully managed so as to realize fair value, to preserve and maintain competition, and to reflect the public interest;

(8) there presently exists a variety of technological, economic, environmental, administrative, and legal problems which tend to retard the development of the oil and natural gas reserves of the Outer Continental Shelf;

(9) environmental and safety regulations relating to activities on the Outer Continental Shelf should be reviewed in light of current technology and information;

(10) the development, processing, and distribution of the oil and gas resources of the Outer Continental Shelf, and the siting of related energy facilities, may cause adverse impacts on various States and local governments;

(11) policies, plans, and programs developed by States and local governments in response to activities on the Outer Continental Shelf cannot anticipate and ameliorate such adverse impacts unless such States, working in close cooperation with affected local governments, are provided with timely access to information regarding activities on the Outer Continental Shelf and an opportunity to review and comment on decisions relating to such activities;

(12) funds must be made available to pay for the prompt removal of any oil spilled or discharged as a result of activities on the Outer Continental Shelf and for any damages to public or private interests caused by such spills or discharges;

(13) because of the possible conflicts between exploitation of the oil and gas resources in the Outer Continental Shelf and other uses of the marine environment, including fish and shellfish growth and recovery, and recreational activity, the Federal Government must assume responsibility for the minimization or elimination of any conflict associated with such exploitation;

(14) the oil and gas resources of the Outer Continental Shelf are limited, nonrenewable resources which must be developed in a manner which takes into consideration the Nation’s long-range energy needs and also assures adequate protection of the renewable resources of the Outer Continental Shelf which are a continuing and increasingly important source of food and protein to the Nation and the world; and

(15) funds must be made available to pay for damage to commercial fishing vessels and gear resulting from activities involving oil and gas exploration, development, and production on the Outer Continental Shelf.

(Pub. L. 95–372, title I, § 101, Sept. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 630.)