GeoLawWatch: Tracking Weather & Climate Legislation

A live overview of all active bills on weather modification, cloud seeding, and geoengineering in the current legislative session.

Iowa:   BILL HF191

Introduced

A bill for an act relating to the intentional emission of air contaminants into the atmosphere.

A bill for an act relating to the intentional emission of air contaminants into the atmosphere.

Bill summary (AI generated)

The proposed bill addresses the intentional emission of air contaminants into the atmosphere, aiming to regulate and mitigate the impact of such activities on air quality and public health. If enacted into law, this legislation will likely set forth stringent requirements for individuals and organizations that engage in activities that could result in the intentional release of pollutants. The bill appears to outline specific protocols that must be followed when emissions are planned or anticipated, ensuring that emissions are minimized and controlled to protect air quality. It may introduce comprehensive reporting and monitoring mechanisms, requiring emitters to document and disclose their emissions, which would be critical for enforcing compliance. The bill may also impose penalties for non-compliance and for exceeding allowable emission limits. In essence, if this bill becomes law, entities involved in industrial, developmental, or agricultural activities that emit air contaminants will need to adjust their operations substantially. They will need to implement technology, practices, and methodologies aimed at reducing emissions to conform with new regulations. Furthermore, they may have to engage more closely with environmental agencies to comply with reporting requirements and potentially invest in cleaner technologies to diminish their overall environmental footprint.

History

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  • Mon 03 Feb 2025 Introduced, referred to Environmental Protection. H.J. 175.
  • Wed 05 Feb 2025 Subcommittee: Wengryn, Croken and Johnson, C. H.J. 183.
  • Wed 05 Feb 2025 Subcommittee Meeting: 02/11/2025 12:00PM RM 102.
  • Tue 11 Feb 2025 Subcommittee recommends passage.
  • Thu 06 Mar 2025 Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 546.
  • Thu 06 Mar 2025 Committee vote: Yeas, 11. Nays, 5. Excused, 1. H.J. 546.

Bill text html

House File 191 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 191 BY SHIPLEY , FETT , HAYES , GOLDING , SMITH , A. MEYER , WENGRYN , SIECK , BODEN , ANDREWS , GUSTOFF , WILLIAMS , CISNEROS , YOUNG , THOMPSON , DIEKEN , THOMSON , GEHLBACH , SITZMANN , SORENSEN , WHEELER , WOOD , and NORDMAN A BILL FOR An Act relating to the intentional emission of air contaminants 1 into the atmosphere. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1034YH (6) 91 sb/js
H.F. 191 Section 1. Section 455B.133, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 11. Adopt rules pursuant to section 708C.1 3 prohibiting the intentional emission of air contaminants 4 into the atmosphere within the borders of this state when 5 such emission occurs for the express purpose of affecting 6 temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight. 7 Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, rules adopted 8 pursuant to this subsection shall be controlling. 9 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 708C.1 Geoengineering. 10 1. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the 11 intentional emission of air contaminants into the atmosphere 12 within the borders of this state when such emissions occur for 13 the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the 14 intensity of sunlight is prohibited. 15 2. The environmental protection commission shall adopt 16 rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section. 17 The environmental protection commission may adopt emergency 18 rules under section 17A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5, 19 subsection 2, paragraph “b” , to administer this section and 20 the rules shall be effective immediately upon filing unless a 21 later date is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted in 22 accordance with this subsection shall also be published as a 23 notice of intended action as provided in section 17A.4. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This bill prohibits the intentional emission of air 28 contaminants into the atmosphere with the express purpose of 29 affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of sunlight, 30 notwithstanding any other law to the contrary. 31 The environmental protection commission currently 32 adopts rules relating to air quality. The bill requires 33 the commission to adopt rules expounding on the bill’s 34 prohibitions. The bill allows the environmental protection 35 -1- LSB 1034YH (6) 91 sb/js 1/ 2
H.F. 191 commission to adopt emergency rules to implement the bill’s 1 prohibition. 2 -2- LSB 1034YH (6) 91 sb/js 2/ 2