Florida Underground Natural Gas Storage Act

• Establishes comprehensive regulatory framework for underground natural gas storage facilities, declaring such storage to be in the public interest as it promotes conservation and availability of natural gas

• Creates new permit application process requiring applicants to provide detailed 3D reservoir descriptions, monitoring plans, well integrity testing, and spill prevention plans; permits issued for facility lifetime subject to 10-year recertification

• Requires operators to obtain storage rights from at least 75% of property owners in storage reservoir or obtain Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certificate; applicants must identify and properly plug abandoned wells before injection operations begin

• Imposes strict water supply protection requirements including presumption that operators are responsible for water pollution within 6 months of drilling if water supply is within facility boundaries, unless operator proves pollution existed before operations or other defenses apply

• Exempts nonnative gas recovered from permitted storage facilities from production taxes and production limitations; allows expedited environmental permitting for natural gas storage facilities and interstate natural gas pipelines; effective July 1, 2013