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S 1064 Idaho Senate · 68th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2025)

CLOUD SEEDING – Amends and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding cloud seeding.

This bill revises Idaho's cloud seeding regulations to enhance transparency and clarify program requirements. It requires the Idaho Water Resource Board to authorize cloud seeding projects, mandate annual public reports on operations and environmental impacts, and limit state funding to basins with insufficient water supplies. The law explicitly excludes frost/fog prevention for orchards and crops from these rules and protects state-funded projects from liability claims. These changes directly affect water resource management in Idaho's water-stressed regions and all entities conducting cloud seeding operations within the state.
Issues: ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires annual environmental impact reports, limits funding to water-scarce basins for conservation, and enhances transparency in cloud seeding operations per Idaho's environmental regulations.85% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Last action Mar 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment 1 → Engrossment 2 · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to add new definitions for 'crops' and 'orchard' and to expand reporting requirements for cloud seeding operations. The most significant change is the addition of a requirement for operators to submit maps with generator coordinates, while also removing provisions about effectiveness metrics and public meeting presentations.
Scope change
The bill now explicitly defines 'crops' and 'orchard' to clarify which agricultural operations are covered, and removes an exemption that previously excluded cloud seeding for protecting orchards and crops from the chapter's requirements.
DEFINITION

Added definitions for 'crops' (referencing existing Idaho Code section 6-202) and 'orchard' (commercial fruit growing under industry guidelines)

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for annual reports to include maps with generator coordinates for cloud seeding operations

Removed requirement for annual reports to include effectiveness metric analysis of outcomes like snowpack or water reservoir increases

Removed requirement for annual reports to be presented during public board meetings

ELIGIBILITY

Removed exemption clause that previously excluded cloud seeding for protecting orchards and crops from the chapter's provisions

Floor votes · Senate Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

34–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 35
Mar 20, 2025
D Democratic5
5 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican30
29 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
6
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Mar 20, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (34-0-1)
senate
Mar 18, 2025
Introduced
Amendments reported printed
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Committee
Amendments ordered printed; referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported out without recommendation, as amended
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Placed in the Committee of the Whole
upper
Mar 12, 2025
Committee
Referred to 14th Order for amendment
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Introduced
Amendments reported printed
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Committee
Amendments ordered printed; referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported out without recommendation, as amended
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Placed in the Committee of the Whole
upper
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported out of committee; to 14th Order for amendment
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Committee
Reported Printed; referred to Resources & Environment
upper
Feb 6, 2025
Introduced
Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.