Bill would give state more authority over cloud seeding efforts

Draft legislation would give the state more oversight of efforts to modify the weather to produce more rain and snowfall.

Such efforts include cloud seeding, which involves pumping silver nitrate into clouds to get them to produce precipitation.

Currently the State Engineer's Office reviews applications and grants permits for weather modification programs. The bill would formalize the agency's review of such programs.

The bill likely would give the state engineer authority to enact new regulations if necessary, according to deputy state engineer Harry LaBonde.

"We have a number of weather-modification programs operating in the state," LaBonde said. "If those efforts are not in the state's best interest or are detrimental to other users, we would be in a position to regulate them."

LaBonde said older statutes might give the state engineer oversight of weather modification but don't provide authority to make rules for such practices.

"We don't have plans for additional rules for weather modification, but we may need them in the future because it is becoming more involved in other parts of the state," LaBonde said. "That is why we asked the Legislature to introduce this."

The bill is being sponsored by the Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee. Because the upcoming session will be dedicated mainly to budget matters, the non-budget bill would need a two-thirds vote to be introduced.

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