US Congress : 2025-2026 Regular Session : BILL HB7452
Air Quality Act
Sponsor: Rep Greg Steube & Rep John Rutherford & Rep Jeff Van Drew & Rep Lauren Boebert & Rep Tim Burchett
Bill Details
To prohibit weather modification within the United States, and for other purposes.
GeoLawWatch Bill Summary
Prohibition:
Bans anyone from knowingly authorising or conducting weather modification in the United States Applies when interstate commerce is involved (travel, communications, equipment), within federal jurisdictions (territorial waters, aircraft, US territories), or when affecting interstate commerce Definition of "weather modification" includes any injection, release, emission, or dispersal of chemical substances, biological agents, or air pollutants that changes atmospheric composition/behavior or affects temperature, weather, climate, or sunlight intensity Explicitly includes geoengineering, cloud seeding, solar radiation management, stratospheric aerosol injection, and marine cloud brightening
Criminal Penalties:
Up to $100,000 fine per violation Up to 5 years imprisonment Both penalties may be imposed together
Civil Penalties:
EPA Administrator (coordinating with FAA) may impose up to $10,000 per violation Each instance of injection/release/dispersal constitutes a separate violation Officers, directors, and employees of entities that knowingly authorise violations face individual liability
Reporting Systems:
FAA must establish a system for air carriers to report the location and movement of aircraft equipped with weather modification components EPA must establish a public reporting system for suspected violations (in consultation with FAA and NOAA) Both systems accept reports via telephone, email, mail, or online portal All reports must be published on agency websites
Investigation Protocol:
EPA investigates suspected violations reported by the public that warrant further review EPA determines whether violations occurred, coordinating with USDA, Interior, FAA, NASA, NOAA, or other relevant agencies Confirmed violations referred to the Attorney General for prosecution
Sweeping Repeals:
All federal statutes authorising or requiring weather modification are repealed All federal regulations or executive orders authorising or requiring weather modification are nullified This includes any licensing requirements or permit systems
Research Ban:
No federal agency or recipient of federal funds may authorise or conduct research, testing, or experimentation constituting weather modification in US territories
Effective Date:
90 days after enactment
History
HB7452 was introduced in the House on Monday, February 9, 2026, and was immediately referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology. This multiple committee assignment reflects the bill's broad scope—Energy and Commerce handles EPA matters and environmental regulation, Transportation covers FAA and aviation issues, and Science, Space, and Technology oversees research programs and agencies like NOAA and NASA.
The Speaker will determine how long each committee has to consider matters within its jurisdiction. This "sequential referral" process means the bill must navigate three separate committee gauntlets before reaching the House floor, significantly complicating its path to passage. The research prohibition (Section 5) and repeal provisions (Section 4) affecting NASA and NOAA programs will likely draw particular scrutiny from the Science Committee, while the aircraft reporting requirements will be examined by Transportation. Given the 119th Congress runs through December 31, 2026, the bill faces tight timelines to complete this multi-committee process, pass both chambers, and reach the President's desk before the session ends.
- Mon 09 Feb 2026 Introduced in House
- Mon 09 Feb 2026 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Consolidated Bill Text
2D SESSION
H.R. 7452
To prohibit weather modification within the United States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. STEUBE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A BILL
To prohibit weather modification within the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "Air Quality Act".
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF WEATHER MODIFICATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Whoever, in any circumstance described in subsection (b), knowingly authorizes or conducts weather modification in the United States shall be subject to the penalties described in subsection (c).
(b) CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED.—For the purposes of subsection (a), the circumstances described in this subsection are that—
(1) the defendant traveled in interstate or foreign commerce, or traveled using a means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (a);
(2) the defendant used a means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in furtherance of or in connection with the conduct described in subsection (a);
(3) the defendant transmitted in interstate or foreign commerce any communication relating to or in furtherance of the conduct described in subsection (a) using any means, channel, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means or in any manner, including by computer, mail, wire, or electromagnetic transmission;
(4) the conduct described in subsection (a) occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, or any territory or possession of the United States; or
(5) the conduct described in subsection (a) otherwise occurred in or affected interstate or foreign commerce.
(c) PENALTIES.—
(1) CRIMINAL PENALTY.—Whoever violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $100,000 for each violation, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(2) CIVIL PENALTY.—The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, impose a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each violation of subsection (a), in addition to any other penalties provided by law.
(3) REPEAT VIOLATIONS.—Each instance of injection, release, emission, or dispersal under subsection (a) shall constitute a separate violation of such section.
(4) LIABILITY OF OFFICERS AND AGENTS.—In the case of a violation of subsection (a) by a public or private entity, the entity and any officer, director, or employee of the entity who knowingly authorizes a violation of, or violates, subsection (a) shall be subject to the penalties under this section.
SEC. 3. REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION.
(a) AIRCRAFT REPORTING.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF SYSTEM.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a system for air carriers to report the location and movement of any aircraft equipped with any component, device, or the like which may be used to support weather modification.
(2) SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—Such system may collect reports via telephone, email, mail, or an online portal.
(3) PUBLICATION OF REPORTS.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall make publicly available on the website of the Federal Aviation Administration any reports collected by such system under this subsection.
(b) PUBLIC REPORTING.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF SYSTEM.—The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a system for the public to report suspected violations of section 2.
(2) SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—Such system may collect reports via telephone, email, mail, or an online portal.
(3) PUBLICATION OF REPORTS.—The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall make publicly available on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency any reports collected by such system under this subsection.
(c) INVESTIGATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall investigate suspected violations of section 2 reported pursuant to subsection (b) that the Administrator determines warrant further review.
(2) DETERMINATION.—
(A) REQUIREMENT.—For any suspected violation investigated under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall determine whether a violation of section 2 has occurred.
(B) COORDINATION.—In determining whether a violation of section 2 occurred, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may coordinate with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the head of any other Federal agency that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines to be relevant, to verify the nature of any activities described in a report submitted pursuant to subsection (b).
(d) REFERRAL TO DOJ.—The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall refer a suspected violation that the Administrator determines to have occurred under subsection (c)(2) to the Attorney General of the United States for further action.
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF EXISTING AUTHORITIES.
(a) FEDERAL STATUTES.—Any provision of a Federal statute authorizing or requiring weather modification, including a licensing requirement or permit for any such weather modification, is hereby repealed.
(b) FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS.—Any provision of a Federal regulation or executive order authorizing or requiring weather modification, including a licensing requirement or permit for any such weather modification, is hereby nullified and shall have no force or effect.
SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal department or agency, or any recipient of Federal funds, may authorize or conduct any research, testing, or experimentation that constitutes weather modification in the United States, including the territories and possessions of the United States.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) AIR CARRIER.—The term "air carrier" has the meaning given such term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) AIR POLLUTANT.—The term "air pollutant" has the meaning given such term in section 302(g) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7602(g)).
(3) APPARATUS.—The term "apparatus" means a device, instrument, or system.
(4) ATMOSPHERE.—The term "atmosphere" means the gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth, including all airspace within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
(5) BIOLOGICAL AGENT.—The term "biological agent" has the meaning given such term in section 178 of title 18, United States Code.
(6) CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE.—The term "chemical substance" has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2602).
(7) CLOUD SEEDING.—The term "cloud seeding" means the act of altering the processes of a cloud or storm by releasing a substance into the air.
(8) GEOENGINEERING.—The term "geoengineering" means a technological intervention aimed at mitigating the effects of lowering the temperature of, or removing certain gases from, the atmosphere.
(9) MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING.—The term "marine cloud brightening" means a strategy for adding aerosol to the lower atmosphere over ocean regions to increase the reflectivity of clouds.
(10) STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOL INJECTION.—The term "stratospheric aerosol injection" means a strategy for increasing the number of small reflective aerosols in the stratosphere to increase the reflection of incoming sunlight.
(11) WEATHER MODIFICATION.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term "weather modification" means any injection, release, emission, or dispersal of a chemical substance, a biological agent, or an air pollutant, or conveyance of an apparatus, into the atmosphere that—
(i) produces a change in the composition or behavior of the atmosphere; or
(ii) affects the temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight.
(B) EXAMPLES.—Such term includes—
(i) geoengineering;
(ii) cloud seeding;
(iii) solar radiation modification and management;
(iv) stratospheric aerosol injection; and
(v) marine cloud brightening.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.