The General Assembly finds and declares that:
(1) Adequate supplies of petroleum products are essential to the health, welfare, and safety of the people of the State of Arkansas;
(2) Any severe disruption in the supply of petroleum products for use within the state would cause grave hardship and pose a threat to the health and economic well-being of the people of this state;
(3) The state set-aside program has benefited all sectors of Arkansas' economy by allocating petroleum products on a short-term basis to those persons experiencing hardship or emergency conditions caused by insufficient supplies of fuel; and
(4) It is in the public interest for Arkansas to continue to administer a state set-aside program during those times that federal law does not preempt such a state-authorized program. A set-aside program should be an emergency standby, established as a preparedness measure. It should not operate on a permanent basis or in a period of normal supply.