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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 flow 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 stream flows. Validated technologies shall be transferred to non-Federal interests for operational implementation. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I The Weather Damage Mitigation Program (WDMP), formerly called Weather Damage Modification Program, is designed to produce these new technologies by funding scientific, peer- reviewed research proposals submitted by state entities having operational programs. NOAA's WEATHER MODIFICATION RESEARCH BACKGROUND The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administered the Atmospheric Modification Program (AMP) in weather modification research from 1980 through 1994. This Federal-State cooperative program granted research funding to states conducting cloud seeding operations. NOAA laboratories actively participated in many of the state programs. AMP 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 place for a program like the WDMP to reside. 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: 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. While acknowledging the important findings and advancements of the program, due to budget constraints and other internal priorities, the Bureau of Reclamation has discontinued the WDMP. In an effort to continue this vital weather research program, the NAIWMC is seeking to transfer this program back to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, within the Department of Commerce. The WDMP is consistent with existing weather research and application programs currently being conducted by NOAA. The states likely to be involved include, but are not limited to: California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.