Friday, February 12, 2010

Cloud seeding up for debate

Included in the Omnibus Water Bill that passed out of the House Agriculture Committee: another $2.8 million towards definitively finding whether cloud seeding works.

Cloud seeding is a controversial process by which particles, such as silver iodide, are shot or dispersed into a cloud to help condense moisture and induce precipitation.

In 2005, the Wyoming Legislature put $8.8 million towards the Wyoming Weather Modification Five-Year Pilot Project. Now, the Wyoming Water Development Commission has asked for another $2.8 million during the next two years, and a further $1.8 million next biennium.

State Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, voted for the Omnibus Water Bill despite concerns about the wisdom of the cloud-seeding provision.

"If it doesn't work, you wasted $13.4 million," Zwonitzer said.

Source: Legislature briefs, Feb 12, 2010

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