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36 CLOUD SEEDING seeding technology can arise if certain groups can be identified as eco- nomic losers (Haas 1974). The direct benefits of augmenting snowpack are in some cases realized downstream, rather than in the impacted target area; in one such case, some project area residents were opposed to cloud seeding because of "a resentment of outside politicians who make their winters longer and their weather-related problems worse. . . and the per- ception that the controlling authority will not be influenced by the wishes of the project area residents" (Weisbecker 1974). In some agricultural areas, where direct impacts and benefits of cloud seeding are collocated, the greater the affiliation of the cloud seeding program with some farm or- ganizations, the more favorable the attitude toward the program will be (Larson 1973). Thus arises the issue of trust. Closely related is the issue of control. The desire is always strong to participate in, or have trusted repre- sentatives participate in, decisions that affect stakeholder interests. The SCPP offers another relevant case study. The Sierra Nevada's most valuable asset, water, is used by agriculture, utilities, water districts, lumbering, cattlemen, and recreational interests. SCPP's primary pur- pose was to develop and refine an effective snowpack augmentation technology that was socially as well as environmentally acceptable. In preparation for SCPP, the sponsoring US. Bureau of Reclamation and the State of California conducted 21 meetings in California and Nevada communities during 1974 to inform the public and to involve them in the project's planning process. Reclamation then sponsored a societal assess- ment of citizen and organizational response to the proposed project (Farhar and Rinkle 1977). The assessment concluded that the proposed project appeared to be acceptable; however, diversity of weather needs and some fear of local disbenefits characterized the area. "The potential for opposition [was] definitely present, both at the systemic and individ- uallevels" (Farhar and Rinkle 1977). With a recommendation from the researchers, SCPP managers established a citizen advisory committee in January 1978. The managers attended numerous public meetings and distributed a monthly newsletter to interested organizations and indi- viduals throughout the area. After seeding began, some opposition was expressed over concerns about increased snow removal costs, greater flood and avalanche haz- ards, reduced ski business resulting from excessive snow, increased road wear from tire chains, and general property damage. Project managers met with county supervisors and other interested organizations in the area, discussed their concerns with them, and successfully abated further opposition. SCPP also used project suspension criteria in cases of heavy snowfall and avalanche danger to mitigate these objections.S 8The cost-effectiveness of the snowpack augmentation programs when sus- pension criteria are in place still remains to be evaluated. That is, if an insufficient number of storms remain eligible for seeding operations, the program could become cost-effective.