New 'Clear Skies Act' Criminalizes Weather Modification: Up to 5 Years in Prison for Cloud Seeding

The newly proposed Clear Skies Act sets out to do one thing: make it illegal to intentionally mess with the weather across the United States. If passed, this bill would slap a total ban on what it calls "weather modification" activities, provided those activities touch interstate commerce—meaning if you plan it using email, travel across state lines to do it, or use materials that came from out of state, you’re in violation. The law is set to kick in 90 days after being signed.

The Ban: What’s Off-Limits and Why It Matters

Section 2 of the Act establishes a sweeping prohibition. If you "knowingly" try to change the atmosphere by putting a chemical, compound, or equipment into the air, you’re breaking the law. The definition of "weather modification" (Section 5) is broad, covering everything from geoengineering to cloud seeding, if the goal is to change the temperature, weather patterns, climate, or sunlight intensity. This is where it hits the real world: If a local water district currently uses cloud seeding to boost rainfall during a drought—a practice often coordinated across state lines or using specialized equipment—that activity would become a federal crime overnight. This isn't just a slap on the wrist; the penalties are severe: up to $100,000 in criminal fines, up to 5 years in prison, or both. On top of that, the EPA and FAA can impose civil fines of up to $10,000, and here’s the kicker: every single time you inject or disperse a substance counts as a new violation, meaning fines can stack up fast enough to bankrupt an organization or individual.

Sweeping the Slate Clean: Goodbye, Existing Regulations

Perhaps the most disruptive part of this bill is Section 4, which immediately repeals every existing federal law, rule, or executive order that currently authorizes or requires weather modification, including any licensing or permit systems. This isn’t a regulatory overhaul; it’s a total shutdown. For scientists, research institutions, or even local governments currently operating under federal permits for things like atmospheric research or drought mitigation, those permissions vanish. This provision doesn’t just ban future projects; it wipes out the legal basis for any ongoing, federally sanctioned weather research, potentially forcing an immediate halt to legitimate scientific studies aimed at understanding climate change or improving water resources.

The EPA Becomes the Weather Cop

Section 3 puts the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), working with the FAA and NOAA, in charge of enforcement. The EPA must create a system for the public to report suspected violations—and then they have to post those reports publicly on their website. This creates a strange situation where unverified accusations could be made public before any investigation confirms them. Once the EPA decides a report is serious, they investigate. If they determine a violation occurred, they are required to hand the case over to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution. This tightens the loop, ensuring that if the EPA finds evidence of weather modification, the case moves straight to the Department of Justice for potential criminal charges. For researchers, this means that a scientific study that involves releasing materials into the atmosphere—even if meant to be benign—could lead to a criminal investigation if the EPA interprets it as a violation of the new, broad definition of “weather modification.”