HB 2056
Initials DC Page 1 Regulatory Oversight
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
HB 2056: geoengineering; prohibition
Sponsor: Representative Fink, LD 27
Committee on Regulatory Oversight
Overview
Prohibits intentionally manipulating the environment through weather modification, aerosol
injection, cloud seeding or solar radiation modification.
History
Title 45, Chapter 9 (Weather Control and Cloud Modification) prohibits any person or public
or private corporation, other than the federal or state government or their agencies, from
conducting weather control or cloud modification operations or attempting to artificially
produce rainfall without first obtaining a license from ADWR. An application for a license to
conduct such operations must include all the information required by statute such as relevant
names, addresses, scientific qualifications of all operating personnel and supervisors, areas
to be served and dates of operations and evaluations that will be submitted. An applicant
must pay a $100 fee to submit an application, which deposits into the Water Resources Fund.
Statute requires any person or corporation that seeks to manufacture, sell or lease, or offers
to sell or lease any equipment or supplies for weather control or cloud modification, to first
obtain a license. The license application must contain similar information as the operations
application. The license fee is $10 and deposits into the Water Resources Fund.
Exceptions to the license requirements include the use and operation of equipment and
supplies for agricultural purposes used by the owner, lessee or licensee of real property.
Current law classifies as a class 3 misdemeanor any violation of failing to obtain a proper
license, knowingly making a false statement to obtain a license, knowingly failing to file the
necessary evaluations or reports, continuing to operate after revocation of a license or
violating any other provision of this law.
Provisions
1. Repeals and replaces existing statutes that prohibit a person or business from conducting
any weather control or cloud modifications. (Sec. 2)
2. Stipulates that, regardless of any other law, a person cannot engage in geoengineering,
which is a defined term. (Sec. 3)
3. Defines geoengineering as the intentional manipulation of the environment by polluting
the earth's atmosphere or surface through weather modification, aerosol injection, cloud
seeding or solar radiation modification. (Sec. 3)
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4. Instructs the director of ADWR (Director) to investigate credible reports of
geoengineering and to actively encourage the public to monitor, document and report the
cases. (Sec. 3)
5. Outlines the individuals and entities affected by the bill: all Arizonans; government
agencies; research projects; universities; organizations; and military forces. (Sec. 3)
6. States that persons who have gathered evidence of geoengineering must submit that
information by email or in writing to the Director, a peace officer or public official, and
details the duty of the receiving official to forward evidence of a suspected violation to the
Director within 24 hours of its receipt. (Sec. 3)
7. Stipulates that within two hours of receiving a credible report of geoengineering, the
Director must conduct emergency measures to determine if geoengineering occurred at
the stated location. (Sec. 3)
8. Requires, regardless of approval by the federal government, the Director to issue a formal
notice to any violator stating that geoengineering is prohibited in Arizona and to issue a
Cease-and-Desist Order. (Sec. 3)
9. Directs any person receiving a Cease-and-Desist Order to cease activities noted by the
Director until the person demonstrates the activity is lawful in Arizona. (Sec. 3)
10. Details the additional activities the Director must investigate when receiving credible
reports of excessive electromagnetic radiation or fields resulting from human activity in
any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including radiofrequency, microwave, maser,
infrared, laser and ionizing radiation as noted in the bill. (Sec. 3)
11. Requires the Director to post all relevant notices on the ADWR website. (Sec. 3)
12. Classifies a violation of these provisions as a class 4 felony subject to a civil penalty of
$500,000 per violation. Each day of geoengineering is a separate violation. (Sec. 3)
13. Defines pertinent terms. (Sec. 3)
14. Includes a legislative findings section. (Sec. 4)
15. Contains technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)