DEP Submits Revised Gas Station Report to Governor Crist and the Florida Legislature

The Honorable Charlie Crist
Governor of Florida
Plaza Level 05, The Capitol
4000 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001

The Honorable Ken Pruitt, President
Florida Senate
Senate Office Building, Room 312
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

The Honorable Marco Rubio Speaker
Florida House of Representatives
Room 420, The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1300

Dear Governor Crist, President Pruitt and Speaker Rubio:

In 2006, the Florida Legislature enacted section 526.143, Florida Statutes, to help increase the availability of motor fuel in Florida following a major disaster. Section 526.143, F.S., required the Florida Energy Office, within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), to provide compliance assistance and report on the progress of implementation of the new requirements at motor fuel terminal facilities, wholesalers and motor fuel retail outlets. On March 1, 2007, DEP submitted an interim status report to the Florida Legislature.

However, after subsequent review in May 2007, DEP determined that an inconsistency in the methodology used to identify facilities subject to the law resulted in inaccurate data. As such, DEP directed another round of statewide on-site compliance assistance inspections between May 21 and May 25, 2007, to correct the erroneous data.

This report is a revised, accurate summary of the implementation of section 526.143, F.S. If you have any questions regarding this report, please feel free to contact Mimi Drew, Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs and Energy, at (850) 245-2036.

Sincerely,
Michael W. Sole
Secretary

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