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President Ford signed legislation creating the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in re
Featured Event 1975 Event

December 22

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Created: America Stockpiles Oil

President Ford signed legislation creating the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the Arab oil embargo that had paralyzed the American economy. The reserve, stored in massive salt caverns along the Gulf Coast, gave the United States an emergency buffer of up to 700 million barrels that has been tapped during every major supply disruption since.

December 22, 1975

51 years ago

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