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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http://www.westgov.org/wswc/05weathermod.html

Position No. 264

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RESOLUTION
of the
WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL
in support of the
Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Act
Seattle, Washington
July15,2005

WHEREAS, the 109th Congress is considering Senate Bill 517 and H.R. 2995, the Weather Modification
Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of2005, to develop and implement a comprehensive and
coordinated national policy and cooperative program, and authorizes $10 million per year for fiscal years 2005 through
2014 to enhance federal support for weather modification, promote research and development, and provide financial
assistance to private and public entities; and

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WHEREAS, western states support operational weather modification projects, realize the benefits derived
from weather modification, and permit weather modification activities for various purposes ranging from snow
augmentation to hail suppression, under varying state statutes and programs; and

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WHEREAS, much of the West depends on water that originates from snow, and the American Meteorological
Society (1998), W orId Meteorological Organization (2001), and the National Academy of Sciences (2003) have all
found that there is strong physical and statistical evidence that wintertime weather modification activities can create
additional snowpack in watersheds; and

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WHEREAS, the Weather Modification Association and the North American Interstate Weather
Modification Council support a "coordinated national program" to further the science, understanding, and utility of
weather modification; and

WHEREAS, several Council member states are also members of the North American Interstate Weather
Modification Council (California, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and
Kansas) and work together to facilitate the exchange of interstate atmospheric resource management information; and

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WHEREAS, western states would benefit greatly from a coordinated national program that advances the field
of weather modification as it relates to precipitation enhancement for water management - and assists in the scientific
evaluation of western states weather modification operations, while complying with related state laws,; and

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WHEREAS, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has in the past provided much needed technical assistance and
funding through the Weather Damage Modification Program for the benefit of western states.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Western States Water Council strongly supports
enactment of the Weather Modification Technology Transfer Act of 2005 (S. 517 and H.R. 2995), with the addition of
a provision assuring compliance with applicable state laws.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council also supports continued funding for the federal Weather
Damage Modification Program.

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