Florida Senate Approves Bill Banning Weather Modification

Florida lawmakers are advancing a bill, SB 56, aimed at prohibiting all weather modification activities, including geoengineering and cloud seeding, which traditionally involves dispersing substances to enhance precipitation. The bill, which passed a Senate committee with a 10-2 vote, reflects growing concerns about potential weather manipulation, fueled in part by conspiracy theories surrounding government actions. Critics, including cloud-seeding company CEO Augustus Doricko, argue that banning such practices could hinder legitimate efforts to address water scarcity for agriculture. The legislation would replace existing regulations that required licenses for weather modification with an outright ban and significantly increase penalties for violations. Despite the lack of documented cases of weather modification in Florida, supporters of the bill believe it is necessary to safeguard the environment from unauthorized interference. If passed, the law would allow residents to report suspected violations to state authorities.