CHEYENNE, WY (Noah Zahn / Wyoming Tribune Eagle) – Claims that “chemtrails” from government or private jets are poisoning citizens, sterilizing soil and blocking the sun spurred heated debate among Wyoming lawmakers and the public recently, culminating in the advancement of two bills intended to prohibit atmospheric modifications over the state.
The Legislature’s Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee spent nearly four hours fielding public testimony and complex scientific reports before voting on three draft bills addressing geoengineering, cloud seeding and unauthorized atmospheric contamination.
During the proceedings, which was divided between those motivated by public concern over alleged federal poisoning and those who support the scientific efficacy of cloud seeding, the committee discussed three resolutions: one urging U.S. Congress to act, another rejecting a 10-year cloud-seeding moratorium and a third full geoengineering prohibition act.
Wyoming may urge Congress to ban geoengineering
The first bill draft discussed was titled “Prohibiting unauthorized atmospheric geoengineering,” a joint resolution requesting Congress to prohibit unauthorized atmospheric geoengineering and weather modification in Wyoming.
Maria Crisler, a Casper-based clinical researcher, was a proponent of the resolution, arguing that it was essential to push back on covert programs believed to be funded by the federal government, specifically naming the Department of Defense and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, for engaging in solar radiation modification initiatives.
She said that silver iodide, a catalyst to encourage precipitation in clouds as part of cloud seeding, can have harmful effects if it comes in contact with other particles, like aluminum or platinum, such as interfering with the natural water cycle by killing beneficial organisms and aquatic life that are essential for the ecosystem.
“I don’t think that people are looking deep enough, and I think it’s because they also don’t understand what else is going on in the toxic soup above population centers,” she said.
Crisler said that she believes chemtrails are visible over population centers like Cheyenne and Casper and involve the dispersal of nano particles and chemicals to block the sun.
Jayme Locke, a Casper resident, testified that the visible white trails in the sky decreased noticeably during the recent government shutdown, which she called “very telling.” Another witness, Dane Wigington of GeoengineeringWatch.org, insisted that climate engineering is “the single most destructive human activity” short of nuclear war, noting that the combination of elements used creates a synergistic toxicity.
However, the resolution faced immediate pushback regarding its scope. Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities Director Brad Brooks urged the committee to remove cloud seeding from the resolution entirely, stressing its vital role in augmenting water supplies necessary for Colorado River Compact negotiations.
Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, acknowledged that asking Congress to ban weather modification could hurt Wyoming’s negotiating power with surrounding states that rely on cloud seeding, saying sending a resolution to Congress asking them to ban cloud seeding would effectively be asking them to ban cloud seeding federally.
The committee adopted an amendment, proposed by Rep. Bob Davis, R-Baggs, to explicitly exempt cloud seeding from the resolution’s intent.
Following several failed procedural amendments related to involving the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in reporting and deferring to federal airspace authority, the joint resolution passed with a vote of 10-2.
Cloud seeding moratorium fails on tie vote
The committee then addressed the “Cloud Seeding Moratorium” bill, which proposed halting all cloud seeding and weather modification for a decade, starting Oct. 1, 2026, while directing the DEQ to establish baseline precipitation data and conduct a scientific study.
The discussion between lawmakers and the public covered the efficacy and future of weather augmentation in Wyoming.
Several experts pointed out that scientific studies on cloud seeding show mixed results, and some evidence suggests it may only redistribute existing moisture rather than increase the total regional water supply. Current numbers from the Government Accountability Office cite a 5% to 15% increase in precipitation from cloud seeding.
Jeff French, an associate professor and head of the University of Wyoming’s Atmospheric Science Department speaking on his own behalf, cautioned the committee that a 10-year moratorium period would be scientifically insufficient to gather the robust data needed to determine the effectiveness of cloud seeding.
Jason Mead, director of the Wyoming Water Development Office, highlighted the cost challenges, estimating that initiating the planning and scope for such a study would require at least $500,000.
Lawmakers critical of the state perpetually funding studies, such as Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper, argued against appropriating more taxpayer money when decades of research have provided limited measurable benefits.
“It sounds like we spent $100,000 on a study back in 2004. To me, we just keep throwing good money after bad, so to speak, without really any measurable results … I just hate performing these studies year in and year out,” Ide said.
An amendment to appropriate $1.2 million for the study was withdrawn after concerns arose about its constitutionality and the difficulty of conducting such research during a moratorium.
Ultimately, the committee gutted the bill by removing all requirements for baseline data collection and studies. What remained was solely the 10-year prohibition on cloud seeding.
During closing remarks, Sen. Taft Love, R-Cheyenne, noted that the bill no longer represented its original intent. Provenza opposed the stripped-down bill, expressing concern that the lack of any exemption language would unintentionally prohibit crucial emergency activities, such as wildfire suppression and flood control.
The vote on the Cloud Seeding Moratorium resulted in a 5-5 tie, causing the measure to fail.
Prohibition Act advances amid enforceability concerns
Finally, the committee tackled the “Clean Air and Geoengineering Prohibition Act,” a bill that aimed to prohibit the release of “atmospheric contaminants” for the purpose of altering climate, weather or solar radiation. The list of prohibited materials included silver iodide, smart dust, genetically modified particles and radioactive materials.
The main point of contention throughout testimony was how Wyoming could enforce state law against federal actors operating in federally controlled airspace.
DEQ Director Todd Parfitt indicated that while the DEQ currently handles complaints related to atmospheric issues, they lack the necessary resources or personnel and technical equipment to implement the bill’s requirements, which involve monitoring all aircraft, drones, balloons and rockets entering the state’s airspace.
In response to these challenges, Sen. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, introduced an amendment to give the DEQ specific authority and resources to implement the law.
The amendment mandates the DEQ director to study whether the contaminants pose a threat to health and safety; monitor all aircraft, drones, balloons or rockets; determine if contaminants are being dispersed; and petition a court for a cease and desist order upon discovery of prohibited activity.
This amendment passed. Crago also successfully moved another amendment, appropriating $500,000 for the upcoming biennium to fund two full-time employees needed for the DEQ to implement the new duties.
Despite the inclusion of enforcement mechanisms, Provenza opposed the final bill, arguing it was unnecessary and risky.
“(We are) picking a fight with the federal government, who is ‘allegedly’ poisoning the people of Wyoming,” she said, adding that the measure would grow government and give the DEQ substantial work. She said these environmental impacts were likely caused by climate change, not chemtrails, and noted there was no sound scientific evidence presented to support the premise of poisoning.
The bill draft ultimately advanced with a vote of 6-5, meaning it will be presented to the full legislature when the budget session kicks off in February.
