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FINDINGS <br />1. Hail cannons are intended to inhibit the formation of hail and/or modify the physical condition of hail <br />as it is falling. They are attempts to modify the weather and subject to the requirements under the <br />state's Weather Modification Act and Weather Modification Rules and Regulations. <br />2. The permit application review fee of $100.00 has been paid by Southern Colorado Farms. § 36-20 - <br />112(1)(b), C.R.S. (2010). <br />3. SCF provided proof of financial responsibility by showing that it is covered by a commercial insurer <br />with general liability in the amount of $1 million through the Essex Insurance Company. Proof of <br />current insurance naming all project sponsors as additional insured entities is a condition of the <br />permit. § 36- 20- 112(c), C.R.S. (2010). <br />4. SCF submitted the application for a Colorado weather modification permit with enough time for the <br />CWCB to review the application and supporting documents. § 36- 20- 112(d), C.R.S. (2010). <br />5. The public hearing was properly noticed as a "continuous program" in the target area counties and <br />adjacent counties for two consecutive weekends prior to the public hearing. § 36- 20- 112(e), C.R.S. <br />(2010). <br />6. The person in charge of the hail cannon project, Amy Kunugi of Southern Colorado Farms provided <br />adequate evidence of professional education and experience (through eight years of hail cannon <br />operations experience) to qualify to conduct hail cannon weather modification operations in the State <br />of Colorado. She is also a graduate of Cornell University in Plant Science and has many years <br />experience in agriculture. § 36- 20- 112(1)(g) (2010). <br />7. A public hearing on the application was held from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM on May 25, 2011 in the <br />Center Town Hall, in Center, Colorado. The hearing was conducted in the immediate vicinity of the <br />target area and not more than one week following the completion of publication of notice of intent. <br />Seventeen people attended the hearing. The hearing officer was Joe Busto of the CWCB and the <br />CWCB was represented by William Stenzel of the Colorado Attorney General's Office. § 36 -20- <br />112(2) C.R.S. (2010). <br />1. Due to the elliptical distortions from prevailing winds, the areas reasonably expected to be affected <br />by the cavitation effect on falling hail are those areas within a 1,000 -meter (3,280 feet) radius of each <br />hail cannon. <br />2. The proposed project is a "ground based hail suppression through hail cannons" project intended to <br />operate from June 15 through September 15 of each year. § 36- 20- 104(2.5). <br />3. The proposed project is a commercial project and should be assessed the full 2% of the contract or of <br />the operating budget per year. This has been set as the standard fee for a commercial project. Section <br />§ 36- 20- 113(1) (2010). <br />4. Based on the information in the proposed operational plan, testimony provided at the public hearing, <br />and information in the administrative record, the proposed weather modification operation: <br />A. Should provide economic benefits to the area in terms of additional permanent and nearly 400 <br />seasonal jobs related to agricultural production and harvest. § 36 -20 -112 (3)(a). <br />Z <br />