Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1300 By Senator Simon 3-01749-25 20251300__ Page 1 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to permits for drilling, exploration, 2 and extraction of oil and gas resources; amending s. 3 377.242, F.S.; requiring the Department of 4 Environmental Protection to consider certain factors 5 when determining whether the natural resources of 6 certain bodies of water and shore areas are adequately 7 protected from a potential accident or blowout; 8 providing requirements for a balancing test to make 9 such a determination; making technical changes; 10 reenacting ss. 377.243 and 377.37, F.S., relating to 11 conditions for granting permits for extraction through 12 well holes, and penalties, respectively, to 13 incorporate changes made by the act; providing an 14 effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18

Section

Section 377.242, Florida Statutes, is amended to 19 read: 20 377.242 Permits for drilling or exploring and extracting 21 through well holes or by other means.— 22

(1) The department is vested with the power and authority: 23 (1)(

a) To issue permits for the drilling for, exploring 24 for, or production of oil, gas, or other petroleum products 25 which are to be extracted from below the surface of the land, 26 including submerged land, only through the well hole drilled for 27 oil, gas, and other petroleum products. 28 1. A No structure intended for the drilling for, or 29

Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1300 3-01749-25 20251300__ Page 2 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products may not be 30 permitted or constructed: 31 a. On any submerged land within any bay or estuary. 32 b.2. No structure intended for the drilling for, or 33 production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products may be 34 permitted or constructed Within 1 mile seaward of the coastline 35 of the state. 36 c.3.

No structure intended for the drilling for, or 37 production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products may be 38 permitted or constructed Within 1 mile of the seaward boundary 39 of any state, local, or federal park or aquatic or wildlife 40 preserve or on the surface of a freshwater lake, river, or 41 stream. 42 d.4.

No structure intended for the drilling for, or 43 production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products may be 44 permitted or constructed Within 1 mile inland from the shoreline 45 of the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, or any bay or estuary 46 or within 1 mile of any freshwater lake, river, or stream unless 47 the department is satisfied that the natural resources of such 48 bodies of water and shore areas of the state will be adequately 49 protected in the event of accident or blowout.

For purposes of 50 this sub-subparagraph, the department’s determination of whether 51 a resource is adequately protected must balance the measures in 52 place to protect the natural resources with the potential harm 53 to the natural resources. This balancing test should assess the 54 potential impact of an accident or a blowout on the natural 55 resources of such bodies of water and shore areas, including 56 ecological functions and any water quality impacts. The 57 balancing test must consider the ecological community’s current 58

Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1300 3-01749-25 20251300__ Page 3 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. condition, hydrologic connection, uniqueness, location, fish and 59 wildlife use, time lag, and the potential costs of restoration. 60 2.5.

Without exception, after July 1, 1989, a no structure 61 intended for the drilling for, or production of, oil, gas, or 62 other petroleum products may not be permitted or constructed 63 south of 26°00′00″ north latitude off Florida’s west coast and 64 south of 27°00′00″ north latitude off Florida’s east coast, 65 within the boundaries of Florida’s territorial seas as defined 66 in 43 U.S.C. s. 1301.

After July 31, 1990, no structure intended 67 for the drilling for, or production of, oil, gas, or other 68 petroleum products may be permitted or constructed north of 69 26°00′00″ north latitude off Florida’s west coast to the western 70 boundary of the state bordering Alabama as set forth in s. 1, 71 Art. II of the State Constitution, or located north of 27°00′00″ 72 north latitude off Florida’s east coast to the northern boundary 73 of the state bordering Georgia as set forth in s. 1, Art.

II of 74 the State Constitution, within the boundaries of Florida’s 75 territorial seas as defined in 43 U.S.C. s. 1301. 76 3.(

b) Sub-subparagraphs 1.a. and d. Subparagraphs (a)1. and 77 4. do not apply to permitting or construction of structures 78 intended for the drilling for, or production of, oil, gas, or 79 other petroleum products pursuant to an oil, gas, or mineral 80 lease of such lands by the state under which lease any valid 81 drilling permits are in effect on the effective date of this 82 act. In the event that such permits contain conditions or 83 stipulations, such conditions and stipulations shall govern and 84 supersede sub-subparagraphs 1.a. and d. subparagraphs (a)1. and 85 4. 86 4.(

c) The prohibitions of subparagraph 1. subparagraphs 87

Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1300 3-01749-25 20251300__ Page 4 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. (a)1.-4. in this subsection do not include “infield gathering 88 lines,” provided no other placement is reasonably available and 89 all other required permits have been obtained. 90 (b)

(2) To issue permits to explore for and extract minerals 91 which are subject to extraction from the land by means other 92 than through a well hole. 93 (c)

(3) To issue permits to establish natural gas storage 94 facilities or construct wells for the injection and recovery of 95 any natural gas for storage in natural gas storage reservoirs. 96

(2) Each permit shall contain an agreement by the 97 permitholder that the permitholder will not prevent inspection 98 by division personnel at any time. The provisions of this 99

section prohibiting permits for drilling or exploring for oil in 100 coastal waters do not apply to any leases entered into before 101 June 7, 1991. 102

Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 103 made by this act to

section 377.242, Florida Statutes, in a 104 reference thereto, subsection (1) of

section 377.243, Florida 105 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 106 377.243 Conditions for granting permits for extraction 107 through well holes.— 108

(1) Prior to the application to the Division of Resource 109 Management for the permit to drill for oil, gas, and related 110 products referred to in s. 377.242(1), the applicant must own a 111 valid deed, or other muniment of title, or lease granting said 112 applicant the privilege to explore for oil, gas, or related 113 mineral products to be extracted only through the well hole on 114 the land or lands included in the application. However, 115 unallocated interests may be unitized according to s. 377.27. 116

Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1300 3-01749-25 20251300__ Page 5 of 5 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 117 made by this act to

section 377.242, Florida Statutes, in a 118 reference thereto, paragraph (

a) of subsection (1) of

section 119 377.37, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 120 377.37 Penalties.— 121 (1)(

a) Any person who violates this law or any rule, 122 regulation, or order of the division made under this

chapter or 123 who violates the terms of any permit to drill for or produce 124 oil, gas, or other petroleum products referred to in s. 125 377.242(1) or to store gas in a natural gas storage facility, or 126 any lessee, permitholder, or operator of equipment or facilities 127 used in the exploration for, drilling for, or production of oil, 128 gas, or other petroleum products, or storage of gas in a natural 129 gas storage facility, who refuses inspection by the division as 130 provided in this chapter, is liable to the state for any damage 131 caused to the air, waters, or property, including animal, plant, 132 or aquatic life, of the state and for reasonable costs and 133 expenses of the state in tracing the source of the discharge, in 134 controlling and abating the source and the pollutants, and in 135 restoring the air, waters, and property, including animal, 136 plant, and aquatic life, of the state.

Furthermore, such person, 137 lessee, permitholder, or operator is subject to the judicial 138 imposition of a civil penalty in an amount of not more than 139 $15,000 for each offense. However, the court may receive 140 evidence in mitigation. Each day during any portion of which 141 such violation occurs constitutes a separate offense. This 142

section does not give the department the right to bring an 143 action on behalf of any private person. 144

Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 145