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projects could come in and request assistance from the fund. Criteria could be established for these special projects. Physical/Hydrologic/Environmental Im- pacts. The physical/hydrologic/environmental impacts for this alternative are comparable to those for Alternative 9. Socio-Economic Impacts. The economic impact of this alternative is similar to that of the previous one. Precise impacts cannot be determ- ined with detailed knowledge of project pro- posals. Potentially, however, interstate cooper- ation in the construction and management of storage projects could yield important efficien- cies. As a practical matter, Nebraska's bargaining position might be weakened by the existence of interstate compacts and Supreme Court decrees governing the inflow of water into the state. Since far more water enters the state currently on some rivers than is required, Nebraska's ability to purchase storage space may be limited by the compact or decree absent an agreement to modify the basic allocation documents. ALTERNATIVES PERTAINING TO WEATHER MODIFICATION ~ Alternative #11: Enact a statute requiring that persons comply with an out-ot-state law as a con- dition tor receiving a Nebraska permit to conduct seeding activ- ities in Nebraska designed to have an impact out-ot-state. Description and Methods of Implementa- tion. The State of Utah has such a requirement as a condition for receiving a Utah permit to conduct cloud seeding activities. Utah law pro- vides that, "cloud seeding in Utah to target an area in an adjOining state is prohibited except upon full compliance of the laws of the target area state the same as if cloud seeding operation took place in the target area state. . . .,,10 This statute affects only states adjoining Utah; non- bordering downwind states do not receive the benefits of this law. Such a statute would pre- sumably reduce the incidence of conflict arising over cloud seeding activities in the sponsoring state. This alternative would promote interstate accord particularly where the target area state bans or restricts weather modification activity. It would prevent circumvention of the target state law by prohibiting the activity from being con- ducted in an upwind state for the same purpose. It also recognizes the potential interstate impact of cloud seeding activities. 3-8 This alternative could be implemented by legis- lative enactment providing that an applicant demonstrate compliance with the target state law before being granted a permit to conduct cloud seeding in Nebraska designed to affect the target state. Physical/Hydrologic/Environmental Im- pacts. It is not anticipated that any significant phYSical/hydrologic/environmental impacts would result from implementation of this altern- ative. Socio-Economic Impacts. The socio-eco- nomic impacts of this alternative are completely unpredictable. Such a law would improve eco- nomic efficiency only if the other state's law was designed to enhance economic efficiency. To the extent that the other state prohibited efficient activity, legislation that would thwart efforts to bypass the prohibition would also be inefficient. Alternative #12: Authorize and in- itiate the negotiation and forma- tion of an interstate weather modi- tication compact. Description and Methods of Implementa- tion. Approximately two-thirds of the states, in- cluding Nebraska, have enacted weather-control laws that attempt to regulate the use of moisture artificially retrieved from the clouds. Nebraska "claims its sovereign right to the use, for the best interests of its residents, of the moisture con- tained in the clouds and atmosphere within its sovereign state boundaries.,,1 0 Clouds, however, are by nature elusive and a few states have recognized that cloud seeding may have an interstate impact by requiring compliance with out-of-state laws in some cases (Alt. 11) or shar- ing information. North Dakota has even shared radar equipment and provided other technical assistance to border counties in South Dakota whose funding for weather modification has been cut off. An interstate weather modification compact could be established for a variety of purposes. One would be to authorize joint research activi- ties to gain better information on the impacts of cloud seeding. The Council of State Govern- ments has prepared a suggested weather modifi- cation compact. In adopting this type of compact, states would agree to establish a joint weather control project. It would create an Interstate Weather Modification Commission with "author- ity to gather and disseminate information, ac- quire facilities, and carry out projects.,,12 It would be funded by member states. Such a compact would also be a way of keeping abreast of weather alteration activities being