A proposed Arizona bill would make it a felony to try to affect the climate or weather.
The legislation is proposed by Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills). It states a person may not use any means to try to alter the temperature, climate, weather or intensity of sunlight.
This isn’t the first time GOP lawmakers have tried to ban geoengineering.
Although Kavanagh’s bill comes shortly after Pinal County experimented with cloud seeding over the summer, which drew frustration from Republicans — he said he introduced it because his constituents are worried about chemtrails.
Kavanagh said he doesn’t know if chemtrails are happening, but he wants the ban just in case.
Chemtrails are at the center of an unproven theory that the government is adding chemicals to the air for various purposes such as mind control or weather manipulation.
Usually believers of the chemtrails theory think the chemicals can be seen in condensation trails left by aircrafts which are caused by engine exhaust mixing with cold air.
“If somebody’s doing it, it’ll stop them, and if somebody has a good reason to do that, you know, then I think we should pass a bill to permit a particular dispersal of chemicals,” Kavanagh said.
Cloud seeding involves adding particles like salts to clouds to increase rainfall.
Violations of Kavanagh’s bill would result in fines of up to $100,000.
He clarified the bill will not apply to anyone burning greenhouse gases or to firefighters using chemicals to fight fires.