Rules Redux

Rally Stores Inc. President Bruce Mitchell likes what he's seeing with Gov. Rick Scott's regulatory reform efforts. That's because one rule change could save his company and its 14 gasoline station convenience stores half a million dollars a year, he estimates.

That's the bottom-line benefit for Clearwater-based Rally Stores if the state repeals a redundant Department of Environmental Protection rule as proposed. And with 7,000 gasoline stations statewide, that adds up to a total savings of $210 million to $280 million at $30,000 to $40,000 per station by Mitchell's count.

The rule required annual leak testing of gasoline tanker trucks in addition to federal inspection, and would have also required the replacement of gas dispensers. It's one of about 1,500 state rules slated for repeal out of more than 11,000 being examined.