Unsubstantiated 'chemtrail' conspiracy theories lead to legislation proposed in US statehouses
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As Louisiana Rep. Kimberly Landry Coates stood before her colleagues in the state's Legislature she warned that the bill she was presenting might 'seem strange' or even crazy.
Some lawmakers laughed with disbelief and others listened intently, as Coates described situations that are often noted in discussions of 'chemtrails' — a decades-old conspiracy theory that posits the white lines left behind by aircraft in the sky are releasing chemicals for any number of reasons, some of them nefarious. As she urged lawmakers to ban the unsubstantiated practice, she told skeptics to 'start looking up' at the sky.
'I'm really worried about what is going on above us and what is happening, and we as Louisiana citizens did not give anyone the right to do this above us,' the Republican said.
Louisiana is the latest state taking inspiration from a wide-ranging conspiratorial narrative, mixing it with facts, to create legislation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a similar measure into law last year and one in Florida has passed both the House and the Senate. More than a dozen other states, from New York to Arizona, have introduced their own legislation.
Such bills being crafted is indicative of how misinformation is moving beyond the online world and into public policy. Elevating unsubstantiated theories or outright falsehoods into the legislative arena not only erodes democratic processes, according to experts, it provides credibility where there is none and takes away resources from actual issues that need to be addressed.
'Every bill like this is kind of symbolic, or is introduced to appease a very vocal group, but it can still cause real harm by signaling that these conspiracies deserve this level of legal attention,' said Donnell Probst, interim executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education.
Louisiana's bill, which is awaiting Republican Gov. Jeff Landry's signature, prohibits anyone from 'intentionally' injecting, releasing, applying or dispersing chemicals into the atmosphere with the purpose of affecting the 'temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight.' It also requires the Department of Environmental Quality to collect reports from anyone who believes they have observed such activities.
While some lawmakers have targeted real weather modification techniques that are not widespread or still in their infancy, others have pointed to dubious evidence to support legislation.
Discussion about weather control and banning 'chemtrails' has been hoisted into the spotlight by high-profile political officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Recently, Marla Maples, the ex-wife of President Donald Trump, spoke in support of Florida's legislation. She said she was motivated to 'start digging' after seeing a rise in Alzheimer's.
Asked jokingly by a Democratic state senator if she knew anyone in the federal government who could help on the issue, Maples smiled and said, 'I sure do.'
Chemtrails vs. contrails
Chemtrail conspiracy theories, which have been widely debunked and include a myriad of claims, are not new. The publication of a 1996 Air Force report on the possible future benefits of weather modification is often cited as an early driver of the narrative.
Some say that evidence of the claims is happening right before the publics' eyes, alleging that the white streaks stretching behind aircrafts reveal chemicals being spread in the air, for everything from climate manipulation to mind control.
Ken Leppert, an associate professor of atmospheric science at the University of Louisiana Monroe, said the streaks are actually primarily composed of water and that there is 'no malicious intent behind' the thin clouds. He says the streaks are formed as exhaust is emitted from aircrafts, when the humidity is high and air temperature is low, and that ship engines produce the same phenomenon.
A fact sheet about contrails, published by multiple government agencies including NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency, explains that the streaks left behind by planes do not pose health risks to humans. However, the trails, which have been produced since the earliest days of jet aviation, do impact the cloudiness of Earth's atmosphere and can therefore affect atmospheric temperature and climate.
Scientists have overwhelmingly agreed that data or evidence cited as proof of chemtrails 'could be explained through other factors, including well-understood physics and chemistry associated with aircraft contrails and atmospheric aerosols,' according to a 2016 survey published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. In the survey of 77 chemists and geochemists, 76 said they were not aware of evidence proving the existence of a secret large-scale atmospheric program.
'It's pure myth and conspiracy,' Leppert said.
Cloud seeding
While many of the arguments lawmakers have used to support the chemtrails narrative are not based in fact, others misrepresent actual scientific endeavors, such as cloud seeding; a process by which an artificial material — usually silver iodide — is used to induce precipitation or to clear fog.
'It's maybe really weak control of the weather, but it's not like we're going to move this cloud here, move this hurricane here, or anything like that,' Leppert said.
Parker Cardwell, an employee of a California-based cloud seeding company called Rainmaker, testified before lawmakers in Louisiana and asked that an amendment be made to the legislation to avoid impacts to the industry.
The practice is an imprecise undertaking with mixed results that isn't widely used, especially in Louisiana, which has significant natural rainfall. According to Louisiana's Department of Agriculture and Forestry, a cloud seeding permit or license has never been issued in the state.
Geoengineering
While presenting Louisiana's bill last week, Coates said her research found charts and graphics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on spraying the air with heavy metals to reflect sunlight back into space to cool the Earth.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 directed the Office of Science and Technology Policy, with support from NOAA, to develop an initial governance framework and research plan related to solar radiation modification, or SRM. A resulting report, which Coates holds up in the House session, focuses on possible future actions and does not reflect decisions that had already been made.
SRM 'refers to deliberate, large-scale actions intended to decrease global average surface temperatures by increasing the reflection of sunlight away from the Earth,' according to NOAA. It is a type of geoengineering. Research into the viability of many methods and potential unintended consequences is ongoing, but none have actually been deployed.
Taking focus
In recent years, misinformation and conspiratorial narratives have become more common during the debates and committee testimonies that are a part of Louisiana's lawmaking process.
And while legislators say Louisiana's new bill doesn't really have teeth, opponents say it still takes away time and focus from important work and more pressing topics.
State Rep. Denise Marcelle, a Democrat who opposed Louisiana's bill, pointed to other issues ailing the state, which has some of the highest incarceration, poverty, crime, and maternal mortality rates.
'I just feel like we owe the people of Louisiana much more than to be talking about things that I don't see and that aren't real,' she said.
___
Associated Press writers Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, contributed to this story.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Wall Street Journal
20 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Appeals Court Lets Sweeping Tariffs Stand for Now
A federal appeals court granted Tuesday the Trump administration's request to keep far-reaching tariffs in effect for now, but agreed to fast track its consideration of the case this summer. The court said it intends to hear arguments on July 31, which means the levies will likely remain in effect for at least the next two months. 🔎 Dig deeper:


CNN
22 minutes ago
- CNN
Los Angeles police begin ‘mass arrests' after downtown curfew kicks in
Update: Date: Title: Where else are protests happening around the US? Content: Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that kicked off in Los Angeles on Friday have since sparked similar protests in various cities around the US – some of which have broadened into protests against the Trump administration. Here's where they're taking place: Update: Date: Title: It's past midnight in LA, where a curfew is in place. Here's what to know Content: A curfew is currently in place in part of downtown Los Angeles, with police saying they have begun arresting dozens of protesters Tuesday evening. Scattered demonstrations have also popped up in multiple cities across the US, with Texas deploying the National Guard in response. Here are the latest developments: Update: Date: Title: Texas National Guard deployed to "ensure peace and order," governor says Content: Members of the Texas National Guard will be deployed to various locations in the state ahead of planned protests this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. South Texas organizations are expected to hold anti-ICE rallies on Wednesday and Saturday, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Among the demonstrations is a 'No Kings' protest in San Antonio this Saturday. Abbott's announcement comes a day after authorities used tear gas and pepper ball projectiles to disperse demonstrators at Austin's State Capitol Complex. 'Peaceful protest is legal,' Abbott said in a post on X. 'Harming a person or property is illegal and will lead to arrest.' The Republican governor said the Guard 'will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order.' Update: Date: Title: Where are protests happening in Texas? Content: Inspired by demonstrations in Los Angeles, protesters in Texas have gathered in droves to challenge the Trump administration's sweeping immigration crackdown. Like California, the Lone Star State is home to one of the country's largest immigrant populations. Over the past few days, demonstrators have said they are speaking out for members of their community, many who fear taking to the streets themselves. 'Immigrants are the backbone of our society. Once again, they are all of us. They are our family members. They are our community members,' Laiba Khan, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, told CNN affiliate KEYE. What began as a show of solidarity devolved into chaos in Austin on Monday, when police declared an unlawful gathering outside the J.J. Pickle Federal Building, later deploying tear gas on demonstrators, KEYE reported. Another protest near the State Capitol building, also in Austin, ended with law enforcement deploying tear gas and pepper rounds, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. Thirteen people were arrested in the city, police said. About 290 kilometers (180 miles) away in Dallas, video from a Monday demonstration shows a tense standoff unfolding between protesters and police in riot gear. Several demonstrators, their faces covered with bandanas and masks, were heard shouting expletives. An observer told CNN that police used what he believes was mace on a person being restrained and another person attempting to intervene. Hundreds gathered outside San Antonio's City Hall on Sunday in a protest that remained peaceful, CNN affiliate KSAT reported. Ahead of more demonstrations in the southern Texas city, Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged residents to 'exercise their rights…safely and responsibly.' Nirenberg's calls for calm come after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the deployment of the Texas National Guard, ahead of the planned protests. 'The reports of the Governor deploying the National Guard to our community underscore the need for us to remain peaceful and safe this weekend,' Nirenberg said. Update: Date: Title: "Mass arrests" in downtown LA, police say Content: The Los Angeles Police Department said late Tuesday that 'dozens of arrests' have been made as several protest groups continue to gather in the designated curfew zone. 'Multiple groups continue to congregate on 1st St between Spring and Alameda,' the LAPD wrote on X. 'Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated.' 'Dozens of arrests have been made for failing to disperse at the scene of an Unlawful Assembly,' the police said in a later post. Update: Date: Title: Downtown Los Angeles is under curfew. Here's what to know Content: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a curfew in downtown Los Angeles tonight. Here's all that you need to know: When: The curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. PT. 'We certainly expect for it to last for several days,' Bass said Area affected: The area of downtown Los Angeles where the curfew will take place is 1 square mile, Mayor Karen Bass said. The total area of the city is 502 square miles, she noted. Residents affected: Officials who enacted a curfew in parts of downtown Los Angeles assess that fewer than 100,000 of the city's nearly 4 million residents actually live within the zoned off area, a law enforcement source familiar said. Businesses affected: While numerous corporations and other businesses are based in the downtown area, the source said officials believe the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew will affect only a relatively small number of residents, which was a factor in determining the start and end time of the order. Exemptions: LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said residents of the impact area will be exempt from the curfew. Others exempted include: credentialed media, public safety and emergency personnel and people experiencing homelessness. Penalties: Anyone not deemed exempt who is within the designated curfew area in Los Angeles between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. PT will be 'subject to arrest,' McDonnell said.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US cities brace for more protests as parts of Los Angeles placed under curfew
By Brad Brooks, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Dietrich Knauth LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Several U.S. cities braced for protests on Wednesday against President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration raids, as parts of the country's second largest city Los Angeles spent the night under curfew in an effort to quell five days of unrest. The Governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, said he will deploy the National Guard this week, ahead of planned protests. Protesters and police in Austin clashed on Monday. Trump's extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests in Los Angeles has sparked a national debate on the use of military on U.S. soil and pitted the Republican president against California's Democrat governor. "This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That's when the downward spiral began," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a video address on Tuesday. "He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. ... Democracy is under assault." Newsom, widely seen as preparing for a presidential run in 2028, and the state of California sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops. Trump in turn has suggested Newsom should be arrested. Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from Trump, after he also ordered the deployment of 4,000 National Guard to the city. Marines and National Guard are to be used in the protection of government personnel and buildings and not in police action. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the deployments were not necessary as police could manage the protest, the majority of which have been peaceful, and limited to about five streets. However, due to looting and violence at night she imposed a curfew over one square mile of the city's downtown, starting Tuesday night. The curfew will last several days. Police said multiple groups stayed on the streets in some areas despite the curfew and "mass arrests" were initiated. Police earlier said that 197 people had already been arrested on Tuesday - more than double the total number of arrests to date. Democratic leaders have raised concerns over a national crisis in what has become the most intense flashpoint yet in the Trump administration's efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally, and then crack down on opponents who take to the streets in protest. Trump, voted back into office last year largely for his promise to deport undocumented immigrants, used a speech honoring soldiers on Tuesday to defend his decision. He told troops at the army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina: "Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness." 'FULL-BLOWN ASSAULT' "What you're witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags," Trump said, adding his administration would "liberate Los Angeles." Demonstrators have waved the flags of Mexico and other countries in solidarity for the migrants rounded up in a series of intensifying raids. Homeland Security said on Monday its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden. Protests have also taken place in other cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago, where demonstrators shouted at and scuffled with officers. Some protesters climbed onto the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, while others chanted that ICE should be abolished. Texas Governor Abbott said late on Tuesday that he will deploy the National Guard, which "will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order." "Texas National Guard will be deployed to locations across the state to ensure peace & order. Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest," Abbott posted on X. South Texas organizations are expected to hold anti-ICE rallies on Wednesday and Saturday, CNN reported local media as saying. About 700 Marines were in a staging area in the Seal Beach area about 30 miles (50 km) south of Los Angeles on Tuesday, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a U.S. official said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Reuters the state was concerned about allowing federal troops to protect personnel, saying there was a risk that could violate an 1878 law that generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement. "Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods, and protecting functions could mean protecting the ICE function of enforcing the immigration law," Bonta said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday posted photos on X of National Guard troops accompanying ICE officers on an immigration raid. Trump administration officials have vowed to redouble the immigration raids in response to the street protests. The last time the military was used for direct police action under the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when the California governor at the time asked President George H.W. Bush to help respond to Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King.