House Bill No. 608, titled the "Louisiana Atmospheric Protection Act," introduces a comprehensive regulatory framework for atmospheric and weather modification activities in Louisiana. The bill establishes a new chapter in the Louisiana Revised Statutes, defining key terms such as "cloud-seeding," "geoengineering," and "weather modification." It prohibits individuals and entities from engaging in these activities, particularly those that contribute to atmospheric pollution, and imposes a civil penalty of $200,000 for violations. The Department of Agriculture and Forestry is designated as the overseeing authority for compliance and enforcement, including government and armed forces projects.

The legislation also creates the "Atmospheric Protection Fund" to collect fines from violations and outlines requirements for communications infrastructure to ensure safety and privacy for residents, including independent radiation testing. It repeals the previous Chapter 25 of Title 37, which governed weather modification, consolidating regulations under the new act. Amendments made by the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment change the nature of penalties from criminal to civil offenses and transfer enforcement authority from state police to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, while also shifting the responsibility for radiation evaluation reports to the Department of Environmental Quality. Overall, the act aims to protect public health and the environment from the risks associated with atmospheric interventions.

Statutes affected:
HB608 Original:
HB608 Engrossed: