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Other conclusions of the two reports are: o !hat a reliable and predictable weather modification technology would benefit society and that the agricultural community would benefit most. o !hat much more fundamental knowledge is needed to intervene in complex. atmospheric processes with satisfactorily predictable results. o !hat recent advances in the development of the research tools needed to investigate atmospheric phenomena, coupled with the manpower base that no~ exists within the U.S. scientific community, make it both practicable and desirable to proceed vigorously at this time with a sound research and development program to supply many of the missing answers. There is also agreement that such a program (1) requires stable Federal funding to ensure a sustained effort over a period of years; (2) must have much improved coordination and collaboration ~ong the participating Federal agencies; (3) should seek more knowledge concerning the full range of environmental, social, legal, and economic impacts associated with weather modification technology; (4) should include a mechanism to ensure public involvement; and (5) should encourage international cooperation. In December 1979, Dr. Frank Press, chairman of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering and Technology, responded to those recommendations. He established the CAG Subcommittee on Weather Modification and promised to establish a panel of individuals knowledgeable in the field of weather modification, whose members would represent diverse viewpoints, to act as a special advisory body to the Office of Science and Technology Policy and to the Subcommittee. !he charge to the Subcommittee on Weather Modification was to "engage in intensive work during the ne.~t eight months to develop an acceptable long-range research plan." More specifically, the subcommittee was directed to concentrate its efforts in two areas: re~iewing ongoing Federal efforts in weather modification and developing an interagency plan for the first five years of a long-term Federal program in weather modification. !his document represents the subcommitteels response to that charge. Chapter II discusses, the potential benefits of weather modification to agriculture, energy conservation and production, municipalities and industries, transportation, and human safety and welfare. Cha~ter III briefly describes current Federal programs directed toward developing weat~er modification as a useful technology. Chapter rT presents the rationale ror the National Weather Modification Program and discusses the conceptual basis for structuring the research and development program. The program is envisioned as being composed of two complementary, concurrently conducted research orientations--fundamental research that is broadly applicable to many weather modification objectives and research directed to~ard solving site- specific weather-related problems. Research on environmental, economic, legal, and societal issues is recognized as an integral part of the - 4 -