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Committee advances SB 126 to ban certain atmospheric geoengineering releases; debate centers on evidence, enforcement and felony penalty
Summary
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 4–2 to advance a second substitute to SB 126, which would ban aircraft releases for solar‑radiation modification over Utah, set up a public reporting mechanism and include an airport liability waiver; committee debate centered on scientific evidence and enforcement penalties.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 4–2 to advance a second substitute of Senate Bill 126, which would ban aircraft from releasing substances for the purpose of solar‑radiation modification and create a public reporting mechanism for suspected instances.
Sponsor Senator Winterton described the bill as a preventative measure aimed at solar‑radiation modification (a form of geoengineering) and said the substitute exempts customary state cloud‑seeding programs while banning high‑altitude releases that the sponsor characterized as stratospheric aerosol injections. The second substitute also includes a liability waiver provision for airports and directs the…
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