WMOD00271 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Senator Hutchison at the time) held a joint subcommittee hearing on S. 517 on November 10, 2005. The full Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation considered the bill in an open Executive Session on November 17,2005, at which Senator Hutchison introduced a substitute amendment to her bill. The Committee adopted the substitute and reported S. 517 to the full Senate as amended. Section 4 of the substitute legislation would create a Weather Modification Subcommittee within the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to coordinate a national weather modification research program. The subcommittee would be co-chaired by NOAA and the National Science Foundation, and would have representation from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other appropriate Federal agencies. The Subcommittee would be required to submit a plan for weather modification research that would describe goals and activities, evaluate existing programs, make suggestions on coordination with existing programs, and provide an estimation of Federal funding for weather modification research. The legislation states that the program may include activities to improve the understanding of processes related to weather modification, including cloud seeding, cloud modeling, and improved forecast technologies, as well as the potential negative impacts of weather modification. Section 5 of the substitute would establish the Weather Modification Research Advisory Board within OSTP to make recommendations to the Weather Modification Subcommittee regarding legislation policies, administration, research and other matters related to weather modification. The board would be composed of outside experts including scientists, engineers, and State officials involved in weather modification operations. The board would examine potential uses for weather modification research and would evaluate the efficacy of weather modification research. SUPPORT FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN INTERSTATE WEATHER MODIFICATION COUNCIL The North American Interstate Weather Modification Council supports the introduction and passage of new legislation in the 11 Oth Congress similar to S. 517 and H.R. 2995 . We support the passage of any legislative vehicle that would provide congressional authorization and funding of a sustained, coordinated national weather modification research program. The growing worldwide need for fresh water and protection from drought and hail damage warrants our best efforts to use the technologies now available while working diligently to refine and improve them. The time has come for a concerted national effort to take our present weather modification capabilities to the next level. Legislation similar to that considered in the 109th Congress would provide the necessary first step toward this national effort. 3