Bill > HB290

This bill enacts section 2917.43 of the Ohio Revised Code to comprehensively prohibit various solar radiation modification and weather manipulation techniques within the state. The legislation defines several technical terms, including cloud seeding (releasing pollutants into clouds to induce precipitation), marine cloud brightening (enhancing cloud reflectivity), and stratospheric aerosol injection (introducing reflective particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight). The bill broadly defines "pollutant" to include an extensive range of substances and energy types, from aerosols and chemicals to electromagnetic fields and radiation. Under the proposed law, no person or entity would be permitted to engage in these modification methods using any platform, including aircraft, balloons, drones, space-based platforms, or ground-based facilities. Law enforcement officials, specifically the state highway patrol superintendent or county sheriffs, would be empowered to issue cease-and-desist orders to anyone attempting such activities. Violations would be treated as a strict liability third-degree felony, carrying a mandatory 36-month prison sentence and a minimum fine of $500,000. The bill is named the "Atmosphere Protection Act" and appears designed to prevent potentially environmentally risky climate intervention technologies.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb290