Weather Mod - Controlling Activites Report

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eral suggestions were made to the Committee on ways in which the existing statute might be strengthened. Among these were that the Committee follow the so-called "model law. for reg- ulation of weather modification activities. This law is recommended by the membership of the Weather Modification Association. Another suggestion was that the committee adopt the so-called Texas system which places the control of weath- er modification within that state's Water Development Board. A third recommendation was that the Committee consider estab- lishing a special board to coordinate and regulate the activ- ities of weather modifiers within this state. In summary, most of the suggestions would place the responsibility in the hands of a specific board instead of placing it singularly within the control of the Director of the Department of Nat- ural Resources. The Committee wishes to point out that the original Weather Control statute -- Chapter 295, Session Laws of Colo- rado 1951 (House Bill 251, 1951 session) -- created a "Weath- er Control Commission" composed of five members appointed by the Governor. One member was appointed from each of the four congressional districts and one member was appointed at large for five year overlapping terms (one new member was appointed each year). This provision was repealed by Chapter 94, Ses- sio~ iaws of Colorado 1962, and the responsibility for the .:<:eg'J:lutL:m of weathe:r Modification programs was placed in the offi.;;,@ Q,f the Directm: of the Oepart.ment of Natural ResDu:rcos. Committee Conclusions Administration. The Committee considered reestablish- ing a control board, or placing the responsibility in the hands of the state Water Conservation Board, but, recognizing that the policy of the Committee on Reorganization of State Government is to discourage the tendency to add new boards, it rejected that approach. In fact, it was pointed out that it was the desire of th9 Committee on Reorganization of State Government to simplify the structure of state government that led to the abolishment of the aforementioned Weather Control Commission. The 1961 Legislative Council Report on Simplifi- cation of State Government (Research Publication No. 55, De- cember, 1961) stated: