A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
Bill summary (AI generated)
The bill concerning the prohibition of geoengineering activities, if enacted, will implement stringent restrictions on various methods of geoengineering that could potentially affect the climate. Geoengineering generally refers to large-scale interventions in Earth's natural systems aimed at combatting climate change or global warming, such as solar radiation management and carbon dioxide removal techniques.
Under this proposed legislation, any geoengineering activity would be outright prohibited. Violators of this law would face associated penalties, which may include fines or other sanctions, although specific details regarding the penalties may be outlined in subsequent regulations. The bill emphasizes a precautionary approach, reflecting concerns about the unforeseen ecological and societal impacts that could stem from such technologies.
Ultimately, if this bill becomes law, it will signify a protective stance towards environmental and public health, prioritizing caution over experimentation with unproven and potentially hazardous geoengineering technologies. The legislation may also foster discussions about alternative methods of addressing climate change, as the focus shifts away from technological solutions that entail significant risks. The bill includes provisions for its effective date, ensuring that lawmakers and stakeholders have a clear timetable for compliance and enforcement responsibilities.
History
Molestiae reprehenderit amet et quia temporibus.
-
Tue 28 Jan 2025
Introduced, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 147.
-
Mon 03 Feb 2025
Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 178.
Bill text html
Senate
File
142
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
142
BY
McCLINTOCK
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
prohibition
of
geoengineering
1
activities,
providing
penalties,
and
including
effective
2
date
provisions.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
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Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
708C.1
Definitions.
1
As
used
in
this
chapter:
2
1.
“Cloud
seeding”
means
a
type
of
weather
modification
3
that
attempts
to
change
the
amount
or
type
of
condensation
4
or
precipitation
by
dispersing
chemicals,
including
but
not
5
limited
to
silver
iodide,
potassium
iodide,
and
dry
ice,
into
6
the
air
by
means
of
aircraft
or
ground
generators.
7
2.
“Department”
means
the
department
of
public
safety.
8
3.
“Polluting
atmospheric
activity”
means
the
deliberate
9
discharge
of
any
solid,
liquid,
gaseous,
or
thermal
irritant,
10
contaminant,
or
substance,
including
smoke,
vapor,
soot,
11
fume,
aerosol
plume,
acid,
alkali,
chemical,
artificially
12
produced
electric
field,
magnetic
field,
electromagnetic
field,
13
electromagnetic
pulse,
sound
wave,
sound
pollution,
light
14
pollution,
microwave,
and
all
artificially
produced
ionizing
or
15
nonionizing
radiation
or
waste
conducted
in
the
atmosphere
that
16
may
have
harmful
consequences
upon
health,
the
environment,
or
17
agriculture.
18
4.
“Weather
engineering”
means
the
deliberate
manipulation
19
or
alteration
of
the
environment
for
the
purpose
of
changing
20
the
weather
or
climate
by
artificial
means,
typically
21
involving
the
deliberate
release
of
polluting
emissions
in
the
22
atmosphere
via
cloud
seeding,
for
small-scale,
large-scale,
and
23
global-scale
alteration
of
the
environment.
24
Sec.
2.
NEW
SECTION
.
708C.2
Prohibited
acts.
25
A
person
shall
not
engage
in
polluting
atmospheric
activity,
26
cloud
seeding,
or
any
other
type
of
weather
engineering,
or
27
use
an
unmarked
or
unidentified
aircraft
or
other
vehicle
or
28
facility
to
engage
in
polluting
atmospheric
activity,
cloud
29
seeding,
or
any
other
type
of
weather
engineering,
unless
30
otherwise
provided
by
law.
31
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
708C.3
Penalties
and
enforcement.
32
1.
The
department
shall
immediately
issue
a
cease
and
desist
33
order
to
a
person
suspected
of
violating
section
708C.2.
A
34
cease
and
desist
order
issued
under
this
section
shall
have
the
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weight
of
a
court
order
and
any
violation
shall
be
punished
in
1
accordance
with
subsection
2.
2
2.
A
person
who
violates
section
708C.2
commits
a
class
“D”
3
felony.
A
separate
offense
is
committed
by
the
person
for
each
4
day
during
which
the
violation
has
been
conducted,
repeated,
5
or
continued.
6
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
708C.4
Notice
to
cease
federal
or
7
armed
forces
programs.
8
1.
Federal
government
and
armed
forces
projects
must
meet
9
all
the
requirements
of
this
chapter.
If
an
activity
in
10
violation
of
section
708C.2
has
been
approved
explicitly
or
11
implicitly
by
the
federal
government,
the
department
shall
12
issue
a
notice
to
the
appropriate
federal
agency
that
the
13
activity
cannot
lawfully
be
carried
out
within
or
over
the
14
state.
15
2.
The
department
shall
determine
whether
violations
have
16
occurred
and,
if
deemed
necessary,
shall
refer
potentially
17
prohibited
activity
to
the
Iowa
air
national
guard.
18
Sec.
5.
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
This
Act,
being
deemed
of
immediate
19
importance,
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
20
EXPLANATION
21
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
22
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
23
This
bill
relates
to
geoengineering
by
creating
penalties
24
and
enforcement
procedures
for
persons
engaging
in
such
25
practices.
A
person
who
engages
in
polluting
atmospheric
26
activity,
cloud
seeding,
or
weather
engineering
commits
a
class
27
“D”
felony.
A
class
“D”
felony
is
punishable
by
confinement
28
for
no
more
than
five
years
and
a
fine
of
at
least
$1,025,
29
but
not
more
than
$10,245.
Each
day
the
person
violates
this
30
restriction
is
treated
as
a
separate
offense.
Additionally,
if
31
these
practices
are
suspected,
the
department
of
public
safety
32
(DPS)
is
authorized
to
issue
the
suspected
person
a
cease
and
33
desist
letter
having
the
weight
of
a
court
order.
34
The
bill
states
that
the
federal
government
and
armed
forces
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must
abide
by
these
restrictions.
Should
an
act
approved
1
explicitly
or
implicitly
by
the
federal
government
or
armed
2
forces
be
in
violation
of
these
restrictions,
the
department
3
shall
issue
a
notice
to
the
appropriate
federal
agency
that
the
4
actions
are
unlawful.
DPS
may
refer
violations
to
the
Iowa
air
5
national
guard
if
DPS
deems
such
referral
as
necessary.
6
The
bill
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
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