LOS ANGELES (AP) — California oil and gas regulators proposed stiff new regulations Friday for underground gas natural storage facilities after a blowout drove 8,000 families from their Los Angeles homes.

The rules proposed by the Department of Conservation follow the massive Southern California Gas Co. leak capped last year that persisted nearly four months and led to widespread complaints of headaches, nosebleeds, nausea and other maladies.

Ken Harris, supervisor of the department's oil and gas division, said the regulations aimed at making all 12 underground natural gas storage fields in th...