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<br />\ ' <br />','\ <br /> <br />Safety and Environmental Factors <br /> <br />The Initial Report form includes questions on the safety and <br />environmental aspects of the weather modification activity being reported. <br />Information is sought on the availability of Federal or State <br />Environmental Impact Statements, the provisions made to acquire .the latest <br />weather and other environmental conditions and forecasts, the operational <br />safety procedures for the activity, and any environmental guidelines <br />related to the possible effects of the operations. For CY 1979, the <br />information on safety and environmental considerations was similar to <br />that of prior years. Some examples of the safety and environmental <br />information submitted with the Initial Report of Federal and nonfederal <br />weather modification activities are given below. <br /> <br />Federal Activities <br /> <br />In three Federally-supported projects in California, the forecasting of <br />seedable conditions was made by the project meteorologists, using all <br />available National Weather Service (NWS) data and forecasts. The <br />possibility of flood or avalanche danger was determined through contacts <br />with the NWS, the United States Forest Service, and State water officials <br />When such dangers were noted, the seeding activity would be suspended. <br />With regard to environmental effects, the operator planned to monitor the <br />silver concentration in precipitation and surface waters in the target <br />areas. <br /> <br />The operations plan for the Department of Interior's Sierra Cooperative <br />Pilot Project requires that the contractor establish a field weather <br />forecast office in support of daylight operations and special storm <br />situations. Forecasters would be supplied with rawinsonde, radar, and <br />NWS data as well as information provided by three automatic environmental <br />surface observation platforms. Safety considerations included suspension <br />of seeding operations by the site director when he believes the <br />activity may cause or aggravate a threat to life or property. Even the <br />use of small quantities of seeding materials will be terminated under <br />severe storm conditions where hail, flood, or avalanche danger is high. <br /> <br />In the 1979 Texas HIP LEX field program, operations would not be con- <br />ducted within a NWS delineated severe weather watch or warning area. If <br />unexpected severe weather developed that was not forecasted, the Project <br />Director was to suspend activity while the severe weather remained in <br />the area. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Nonfede~al Activities <br /> <br />For a ground-based, cloud seeding operation to increase snowpack in <br />north and central Colorado, the contractor planned to use regular govern- <br /> <br />10 <br />