H.R. 4403: Clear Skies Act

This bill, known as the Clear Skies Act, aims to prohibit all forms of weather modification within the United States and its territories. Here are the key points of the legislation:

Prohibition of Weather Modification

The bill states that it is illegal for individuals or entities to knowingly conduct any form of weather modification activities. This includes actions like cloud seeding and geoengineering for the purpose of artificially changing weather conditions, such as temperature or precipitation.

• Weather modification is defined as the injection, release, or dispersal of any substance into the atmosphere that aims to change the atmospheric dynamics or weather patterns.
• Specific conditions under which this prohibition applies include:
  • If an individual travels in interstate or foreign commerce in connection with the weather modification.
  • If they use any channels of interstate commerce, such as telecommunications, to facilitate weather modification.
  • If the actions take place within U.S. jurisdiction or affect interstate commerce.

Penalties for Violation

The bill lays out penalties for those who infringe upon this prohibition:

• Criminal Penalty: Violators may face fines of up to $100,000 per violation and/or imprisonment for up to five years.
• Civil Penalty: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can impose fines of up to $10,000 for each violation.
• Repeat Violations: Each instance of weather modification counts as a separate violation, potentially leading to multiple penalties.

Reporting and Investigation

The bill establishes a system for reporting suspected violations:

• The EPA, in coordination with other federal agencies, will set up a public reporting system for individuals to report suspected weather modification activities.
• Reports may be submitted through various channels, such as phone, email, or online portals.
• All collected reports will be made publicly available on the EPA's website.

The EPA also has the authority to investigate reported violations and can coordinate with other federal departments to determine if a violation has occurred. If a violation is confirmed, it will be referred to the Department of Justice for further action.

Repeal of Existing Authorities

The bill will repeal any existing federal laws or regulations that previously permitted or required weather modification. This includes any licenses or permits that might have been necessary for such activities.

Definitions

For the purpose of this bill:

• Atmosphere: Refers to the gaseous envelope surrounding Earth, including all airspace within U.S. jurisdiction.
• Weather Modification: Defined as any intentional activity that affects atmospheric conditions, including methods like geoengineering and cloud seeding.

Effective Date

This legislation will take effect 90 days after being signed into law.

Relevant Companies

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