The House of Representatives passed a bill that would create a pilot project focused on cloud seeding in southeast New Mexico on a 61-6 vote Monday.
Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification that aims to increase the amount of precipitation.
The budget bill passed by the House and Senate currently has $1 million earmarked for the project.
The original version of HB 130 proposed $1.98 million for a three-year project, but the appropriation was removed in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, asked the bill sponsor, Rep. Jack Chatfield, R-Mosquero, if the $1 million would be enough.
Chatfield said that more funding could be provided in future years if needed.
Chatfield said that cloud seeding can be done with various substances. The most common is silver iodide, but he said salts such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride or dry ice—solid carbon dioxide—can also be used. These chemicals are injected into cumulonimbus clouds via airplane or rocket.
Should this pilot project start, Chatfield said some of the data that will be collected includes how much rain falls following cloud seeding and the level of residuals from the cloud seeding chemicals in the precipitation. Chatfield said that in every state where the residuals have been tested, it has not been detected at any significant levels and he noted that potassium chloride is also used as a fertilizer.
But Rep. Tara Lujan, D-Santa Fe, expressed some concerns about the bioaccumulation of these substances in the environment and its impact on plants and animals.
Some of the states that currently engage in cloud seeding include California, Wyoming, Texas, Utah and Colorado.
“We have evidence that it increases rainfall, and therefore, helps with drought,” Chatfield said.
Chatfield said cloud seeding has been done twice in New Mexico, but he doesn’t believe the records were kept well.
The pilot program would still largely be experimental and the data gathered would help determine how well cloud seeding works in southeast New Mexico’s arid climate.
Cloud seeding operations need to gain approval from the Interstate Stream Commission and there will be opportunities for public comment during that process.
Lujan noted that the efficacy of cloud seeding has not yet been determined.
She said she is glad that the program is starting in a small part of the state and that the data will be gathered to determine how it impacts plant and animal life.
“This bill would just help New Mexico get a little more rain and would help our ag industry, would help all New Mexicans have a little more water,” Chatfield said.
HB 130 now goes to the Senate.
Cloud seeding has been used for a number of years. What further data do you need that isn’t already available? NM seriously needs water!!!