WMOD00319

• Title: North American Interstate Weather Modification Council - Fiscal Year 2009 Request
• Prepared By: McClintock Associates, Inc.
• Date: 1/1/2007
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: General Information

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helped establish scientific credibility in weather modification during its fifteen years of
operation. At its conclusion six states were involved in the program. Since that time,
operational application of weather modification technology has increased significantly while
research funding has lagged. Considering its past history with AMP and its expertise in
atmospheric research, the NAIWMC believes NOAA is the most appropriate federal agency in
which to house a new coordinated national weather modification research program.

CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION

Section 206(b) of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-250)
specifically authorized the Bureau of Reclamation to fund the WDMP. The specific provision is
as follows:

The Secretary is authorized to conduct a Precipitation Management Technology Transfer Program to help
alleviate problems caused by precipitation variability and droughts in the West, as part of a balanced long-term
water resources development and management program. In consultation with State, Tribal, and local water,
hydropower, water quality and instream jlow interests, areas shall be selected for conducting cost-shared field
studies cost-shared on a 50-50 basis to validate and quantifY the potential for appropriate precipitation
management technology to augment streamjlows. Validated technologies shall be transferred to non-Federal
interests for operational implementation.

WDMP research funding first came from Congress in FY 2002 with an allocation of $2 million
in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill. An additional $2 million was approved to continue
the program for FY 2003. Since FY 2003, no additional funding has been appropriated for the
program.

RECENT LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO AUTHORIZE WEATHER MODIFICATION RESEARCH

On July 17,2007, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas introduced S. 1807, the "Weather
Mitigation Research and Development Policy Authorization Act of 2007." This bill is similar to
legislation that Senator Hutchison authored in the 109th Congress (S. 517). The stated purpose of
S. 1807 as introduced was to "develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated national
weather rnitigation policy and a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather
mitigation research and development." The bill would establish a Weather Mitigation Advisory
and Research Board within the National Science Foundation. The primary function of the Board
would be to "promote and fund research and development, studies and investigations with
respect to improved forecast and decision-making technologies for weather mitigation
operations, as well as to promote assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather
mitigation." S. 1807 would authorize $10 Million annually for Fiscal Years 2008 through 2017,
to remain available until expended.

On August 3,2007, Congressman Mark Udall of Colorado introduced H.R. 3445, the "Weather
Mitigation Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2007," which is similar to a
bill he authored in the 109th Congress (H.R. 2995) as a companion to Senator Hutchison's
original bill. Congressman Udall's bill has the same underlying goal as S. 1807, which is to
"develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated national weather mitigation policy
and a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather mitigation research and
development." The primary difference between the two bills is that Congressman Udall's bill