Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 263

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 860

AS AMENDED BY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND AN AD HOC COMMITTEE HEREIN ESTABLISHED TO CONDUCT A THREE-MONTH PILOT PROJECT ON THE CONCEPTS OF DYNAMIC SEEDING (WEATHER MODIFICATION); AND FURTHER PROVIDING A SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION THEREFOR.

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Division of Atmospheric Water Resources Management, is convinced that weather modification does work and produces significant results; and

WHEREAS, the boost in natural precipitation ranges from 10 to 30 percent; and

WHEREAS, cloud seeding does not have a negative effect on weather downwind from the area seeded, and the notion that taking moisture from the atmosphere in one area decreases the amount available to areas further down the line - the idea that seeding is robbing Peter to pay Paul - is false; and

WHEREAS, there is persuasive statistical evidence that dynamic seeding is effective in increasing the size and rain production of individual convective clouds, promoting cloud mergers, and increasing the rainfall from groups of convective clouds; and

WHEREAS, an analysis by the University of Delaware Agricultural Experimental Station for the years 1972 through 1976 provides encouraging results; and

WHEREAS, the study indicated that the environment appears favorable about half the time in May through August for successful cloud seeding to increase rain in Delaware, provided that suitable clouds are present; and

WHEREAS, positive results achieved in other parts of the country are encouraging and all facts, statistics and data seem to point to real economic advantages to be gained from dynamic seeding; and

WHEREAS, hail suppression operations have demonstrated that crop damage from hail storms can be significantly reduced, the result being a decrease in the size of hail stones, thus minimizing the damage -hail stones fall as slushy stones or completely dissipate into rain.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. The Department of Agriculture in cooperation with an ad hoc committee herein established is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a Pilot Project of Dynamic Seeding during the summer of

1978, the results of which shall be reported to the Governor and members of the General Assembly, as soon thereafter as practicable.

Section 2. There is hereby established an ad hoc committee to assist, advise, and consult with the Department of Agriculture in this pilot project of dynamic seeding. The committee shall be comprised of seven members to be appointed by the Delaware Weather Modification Association Steering Committee. Representation shall be as follows: two members from New Castle County; two members from Kent County; and three members from Sussex County. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and the Director of the Agricultural Experimental Station in Georgetown or their designees shall be ex-officio members of the committee.

Section 3. The sum of $172,000 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of instituting and implementing the Pilot Program to be expended in the following manner:

Section 4. This is a supplementary appropriation and the funds hereby appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of funds in the General Fund of the State of Delaware not otherwise appropriated.

Section 5. The funds herein appropriated remaining unexpended or unencumbered on January 1, 1979, shall revert to the General Fund of the State of Delaware.

Section 6. In the interest of expediting the pilot project herein authorized, the provisions of Chapter 69, Title 29 of the Delaware

Code are hereby waived.

Approved May 5, 1978.