Florida Senate approves ban on geoengineering and weather modification
Photo courtesy of Florida Skywatchers Facebook page
A proposal to ban weather-modification projects that have been denounced by some conspiracy theorists as 'chemtrails' has been approved by the Florida Senate.
The measure (SB 56), sponsored by Miami Republican Ileana Garcia, would prohibit the injection, release, or dispersion of any means of a chemical, chemical compound, substance, or apparatus into the atmosphere for the purpose of affecting the climate.
Any person or corporation who conducts such geoengineering or weather modification activity would be subject to a third-degree felony charge, with fines up to $100,000. If an aircraft operator or controller commits a third-degree felony, they could be subject to a fine up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison.
'There is a lot of unauthorized activity that is currently not regulated both at a federal and a state level, and this is where we wanted to start,' Garcia told members of the Senate. 'This is how we are trying to create a method to the madness by creating a reporting mechanism that starts with complaints to the Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] with complaints and concerns and then also at our local state airports.'
In questions on the Senate floor, Broward County Democrat Tina Polsky asked Garcia how could the DEP accurately investigate such a complaint if the 'trail' dissipates in the atmosphere?
Garcia replied that the DEP could coordinate with other agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 'based on certain concerns or certain complaints or certain criteria' could decide what was 'worthy' of following up on a more scientific basis.
The Miami Republican acknowledged that there were 'conspiracy theories' regarding the issue, and said that while she didn't want to get political, concerns about geoengineering had accelerated under former President Joe Biden.
'The previous administration … sort of opened up that area of allowing, I would say, apprentices to a certain extent based on a lot of the research that I'd seen or just various companies, various corporations from across the world, to come into our atmosphere and start experimenting with, whether it's rock weathering, whether it's solar radiation modification, whether it's cloud seeding — something as simple as sending up a $30 balloon that you can buy on Amazon with specific chemicals so that you can alter the weather or solar radiation,' she said.
'It seems very concerning to me. I have a problem with people spraying perfume next to me sometimes. Don't you have a problem with people spraying things into the atmosphere that really have no type of empirical data?'
The measure passed the Senate on a 28-9 vote.
Following the vote, Senate President Ben Albritton praised Garcia for producing a 'great piece of legislation.'
Healthy skepticism is important,' he said in a written statement. 'People have a right to know what is happening. There's a lot we don't know in this field of science and people are rightfully concerned.'
Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on social media a video announcing his support for Garcia's bill, but slammed the House version (HB 477), sponsored by Pasco County Republican Kevin Steele, saying that it's 'gutted' Garcia's measure.
'They would actually codify the practice of geoengineering and weather modification,' DeSantis said. 'People got a lot of kooky ideas that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change. We're not playing that game in Florida.'
Steele's bill has one more committee to get through before making it to the floor of the House.
Last month, Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a social media post that banning geoengineering 'is a movement every MAHA needs to support.'
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