Weather Mod - Controlling Activites Report

• Project Type: General OWC
• Project Name: Weather Modification
• Title: Controlling Weather Modification Activities
• Date: 11/1/1971
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Final Report

Operator's licenses and per~its for,specific programs.
Another suggestion adopted by the Committee was to distin-
guish between the licensing of operators and the approval of
weather modification projects. That is, the Committee be-
lieves that in addition to licensing each operator, the
Director should be given the power to approve each weather
modification program separately, establish basic criteria
under which it will be conducted, and limit it to a specific
geographical area and a specific length of time. One of the
problems which might be prevented by such a permit system
(one which has not at this time apparently been a major
problem but one which may become so at a later date) is that
overlapping or conflicting projects could be prevented from
being initiated within the same geographical area.

Public hearings and reporting requirements. The Com-
mittee also suggests that the Director establish as extensive
a reporting requirement as he desires, using recommendations
of the aforementioned advisory committee;, require notice of
each proposed project to be published within the county or
counties in which the project would be conducted; and, re-
quire public hearings to be held within the area of a pro-
posed project before the project is given an operating per-
mit.

Finally, the Committee does not agree with the pro-
posals which suggest that all pro~rams be stopped (weather
modification programs be outlawed) or that such programs be
allowed only on alternate years. Instead, the Committee
firmly agrees that it should-be the policy of the State of
Colorado to encourage weather modification programs -- both
research and commercial. Such programs should, however, be
operated only within specific guidelines and should be con-
ceived to provide definite benefits to the people of the
state or to advance scientific knowledge.

Summary of the Proposed Weather Modification Control Act

To meet these goals, the Committee herein presents a
suggested bill for consideration by the 1972 General Assem-
bly. The Committee also asks that the Legislati.ve Council
recommend that this bill be added as an item on the Gover-
nor's agenda for the 1972 General Assembly's consideration.

In brief, this proposed bill:

(1) Clarifies the powers and responsibilities the
Director of the Department of Natural Resources has over
weather modification operations in Colorado;

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