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HR7452119th CongressWALLET

Air Quality Act

Sponsored By: Representative Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a nationwide ban on weather modification in the United States and its territories. It would also repeal federal authorities that allow weather modification and bar federally funded agencies and recipients from researching or testing weather-modification techniques.

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  • Federal agencies, departments, and any recipient of federal funds would be barred from authorizing or conducting weather-modification research, testing, or experimentation.
  • Anyone who knowingly authorizes or conducts weather modification would face criminal penalties up to $100,000 and up to 5 years in prison, and corporate officers or employees can be held liable.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration would set up air carrier reporting for aircraft equipped to support weather modification, and the Environmental Protection Agency would run a public reporting and investigation system that could lead to civil fines up to $10,000 per violation and referrals for enforcement.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.

Ban on federally funded weather research

If enacted, the bill would bar any federal agency or recipient of federal funds from authorizing or conducting research, testing, or experiments that constitute weather modification in the United States and its territories. The prohibition would apply notwithstanding other laws and would affect universities, contractors, grantees, and agencies that receive federal money.

Ban on weather modification and repeal

If enacted, the bill would make it illegal to knowingly authorize or conduct weather modification in U.S. jurisdictions. It would define weather modification to include geoengineering, cloud seeding, solar radiation management, stratospheric aerosol injection, and marine cloud brightening. The bill would repeal any federal law, regulation, or Executive Order that authorizes or requires weather modification. The Act would take effect 90 days after enactment.

Fines and prison for weather modification

If enacted, the bill would make it a crime to knowingly authorize or carry out weather modification. Criminal penalties would allow fines up to $100,000 per violation and up to 5 years in prison. The EPA, with the FAA, could also seek civil fines up to $10,000 per violation. Officers, directors, and employees who knowingly authorize violations could be held liable.

Public reporting and aircraft tracking

If enacted, the bill would require EPA, FAA, and NOAA to set up public systems to report suspected weather modification. You could report by phone, email, mail, or online, and agencies would publish reports on their websites. The FAA would require air carriers to report locations and movements of aircraft that could support weather modification. EPA would investigate reports that warrant review and refer violations to the Attorney General.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

FL • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 3/16/2026

  • Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 4/14/2026

  • Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]

    CO • R

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 6/30/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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