📰 Florida Enacts HB 477, Banning Weather Modification and Geoengineering Activities Statewide

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — October 13, 2025 In a decisive move to regulate atmospheric intervention technologies, Florida has enacted House Bill 477 (HB 477)—a sweeping new law that prohibits all forms of weather modification and geoengineering activities within the state. The legislation, which officially took effect on July 1, 2025, is among the most comprehensive of its kind in the United States, signaling a firm stance against artificial manipulation of the environment.

Under HB 477, it is now a third-degree felony to engage in any activity intended to alter weather patterns, climate conditions, or solar exposure using artificial means. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Cloud seeding to induce or suppress rainfall

• Solar radiation management techniques to reflect sunlight

• Stratospheric aerosol injection or other airborne chemical dispersals

The law specifically targets the use of aircraft or other technologies to release substances into the atmosphere for these purposes. In an effort to ensure transparency and prevent covert operations, all public airports in Florida are now required to submit monthly reports identifying any aircraft equipped with systems capable of weather modification or geoengineering.

Violators of HB 477 face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $5,000, with enforcement authority granted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP is also responsible for investigating complaints, issuing civil penalties, and managing any state funding related to enforcement efforts.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is a necessary safeguard against unregulated experimentation in the skies. They cite concerns over potential health risks, environmental consequences, and the lack of long-term studies on the effects of geoengineering. “This is about protecting our airspace, our environment, and our people from untested and potentially dangerous technologies,” said one state legislator who co-sponsored the bill.

Critics, however, warn that the law could stifle legitimate scientific research and hinder emergency weather interventions, such as cloud seeding to combat drought or wildfire conditions. Some environmental scientists have expressed concern that the bill’s broad language may inadvertently criminalize academic or experimental work aimed at understanding climate systems.

HB 477 also repeals several outdated statutes related to weather modification, consolidating oversight under the DEP and modernizing the state’s legal framework to reflect emerging technologies and public concerns.

Florida’s move comes amid growing global debate over the ethics and risks of geoengineering. While some researchers advocate for controlled experimentation as a potential tool to combat climate change, others caution that manipulating natural systems could have unintended and irreversible consequences.

With HB 477, Florida joins a small but growing number of jurisdictions taking a hardline approach to atmospheric intervention. As the climate crisis intensifies and technological capabilities evolve, the Sunshine State’s new law may serve as a model—or a flashpoint—in the national conversation about who controls the weather, and at what cost.

Sources: Florida Senate – HB 477 Overview Florida House – HB 477 Bill Details