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<br />.. <br /> <br />l , <br /> <br />impact ofSoutheID Colorado Farms' proposed hail cannon operation, the applicant requested <br />and was given permission to publish a notice of intent to modify the weather in newspapers <br />in Saguache and Alamosa counties only. <br /> <br />9. Legal notice of intent to modify weather was published in a timely manner in the official <br />newspaper of Saguache County, and in the official newspaper of the adjacent county of <br />Alamosa [ S 36-20-II2(I)(e), CRS]. <br /> <br />10, A public hearing on the application was held beginning at I :30 p.m. on Thursday, May 3 I, <br />2001, and ending at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, Center Town Hall, 294 South <br />Worth Street, Center, Colorado. The hearing was conducted within 10 rniles of the target <br />areas and not more than one week following the completion of publication [ S 36-20-112(2), <br />. CRS]. The-hearing was attended by 14 persons including the hearing officer and two CWCB <br />staff members. A public demonstration of the hail cannon operation was held following the <br />- hearing. . . . . . - -. - - . . - - - . - - - - . <br /> <br />I L The proposed project is ground-based in that it uses equipment located on the ground to <br />generate sound waves. However, the proposed project does not fall under the definition of a <br />"ground based winter cloud seeding" project since it is not intended to be operated during the <br />winter nor will it use silver iodide or any other cloud seeding agent. <br /> <br />12, Although the concept of using cannons to mitigate hail damages is over 100 years old, the <br />technology to make it work effectively is only recently being developed, Never-tne-less, the <br />proposed project is a commercial project and not a scientific or research project. The annual <br />cost of the project is estimated to be at least $16,000. <br /> <br />]3, Due to the elliptical distortions from prevailing winds, the areas reasonably expected to be <br />affected by the cavitation effect on falling hail are those areas within a 1,000-meter (3,280 <br />feet) radius of each hail cannon. <br /> <br />14. There is a substantial risk ofhail in the target areas that can result in devastating economic <br />losses to head lettuce, spinach, and potato crops, A significant benefit to the people in the <br />operating area would be provided if, by controlling the formation or physical condition of <br />hail, the loss to these crops could be reduced or alleviated. This benefit would also extend to <br />the people who deal in the harvesting and marketing of the protected crops. <br /> <br />15, The State of Colorado would benefit from the project because it would protect the state's <br />reputation as a reliable producer of fine spinach, head lettuce, and potatos, The ability to <br />furnish those crops free of hail damage substantially increases Colorado's stature as a <br />competitive, viable economic producer. <br /> <br />16, Hail cannons of the type proposed in this application have been successfully used in other <br />states to control hail damages to crops and orchards and in the subj ect target areas over the <br />past five years, No testimony was offered at the hearing to contradict the testimony that the <br />project using hail cannons is technically and scientifically feasible, <br /> <br />5 <br />