Florida Governor Ron DeSantis strikes a powerful blow against climate manipulation by signing a new law that makes weather modification a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Key Takeaways
- Florida’s new law (CS/CS/SB 56) completely bans weather modification and geoengineering activities within the state, repealing previous permitting provisions.
- Violators face third-degree felony charges with penalties of up to five years imprisonment and $100,000 in fines.
- The legislation tasks state environmental officials with creating a public portal for reporting suspected weather modification activities.
- Public airports must report any aircraft equipped for weather modification to the Florida Department of Transportation.
- Governor DeSantis explicitly rejected climate change interventions, stating, “Florida is not a testing ground for geoengineering.”
DeSantis Takes Bold Stand Against Weather Manipulation
Governor Ron DeSantis has firmly established Florida as a national leader in protecting natural weather patterns by signing Senate Bill 56, which bans all weather modification activities in the state. The comprehensive legislation, which goes into effect July 1, 2025, prohibits any attempts to artificially affect temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity in Florida’s atmosphere. This decisive action eliminates the previous regulatory framework that merely required permits for such activities and instead implements a complete prohibition on all forms of atmospheric manipulation, including cloud seeding and other experimental techniques.
“Florida is not a testing ground for geoengineering. We already do not permit this activity, and I will be signing SB 56 to prohibit the practice in our skies. The Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support, receiving 28 Yeas to 9 Nays in the Senate and 82 Yeas to 28 Nays in the House. While no institutions in Florida had previously sought permits for weather modification under the old regulatory framework, the new law creates powerful deterrents against any future attempts. The legislation establishes weather modification as a third-degree felony, carrying serious consequences including up to five years in prison and fines reaching $100,000.
I support the bill by Senator @IleanaGarciaUSA to ban geoengineering and weather modification.
The Florida house, though, has gutted the bill and actually codified the practices.
We don’t want to indulge this nonsense in Florida, where we are proud of our sunshine. pic.twitter.com/ir8IYlza4z
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 2, 2025
Addressing Public Concerns About Atmospheric Tampering
Senator Ileana Garcia, who led the legislative effort, acknowledged that constituent concerns about potential weather manipulation played a significant role in developing the bill. The legislation directly addresses growing public skepticism about condensation trails from aircraft, sometimes referred to as “chemtrails” by those who believe they contain chemicals for weather control or other purposes. While mainstream science dismisses such theories, the law aims to provide clarity and assurance to Florida residents worried about atmospheric tampering.
“Many of us senators receive concerns and complaints regularly regarding these condensation trails, aka chemtrails. There’s a lot of skepticism with regards to this, and basically what I wanted to do with this is try to look for a way to separate fact from fiction,” said Senator Ileana Garcia.
The law creates a comprehensive monitoring system by requiring publicly owned airports to report any aircraft equipped with weather modification technology to the Florida Department of Transportation. Additionally, state environmental officials will develop a public portal where citizens can report suspected weather modification activities. These measures ensure transparency while giving officials tools to enforce the new prohibition effectively.
Florida: Gov. DeSantis signs bill banning weather modification https://t.co/PTregiYYNM
— One America News (@OANN) June 21, 2025
Rejecting Climate Engineering Experiments
Governor DeSantis made it clear that the legislation also serves as a preemptive strike against emerging climate engineering proposals. Some climate activists and scientists have suggested large-scale geoengineering projects, such as injecting particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight and potentially cool the Earth. The governor explicitly rejected such experimental approaches, emphasizing Florida’s commitment to natural weather patterns over technological interventions that could have unforeseen consequences.
“People got a lot of kooky ideas, that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change — we’re not playing that game in Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
The legislation represents another example of Florida’s leadership in preserving natural processes against technological overreach. By establishing Florida as the first state to completely prohibit weather modification rather than merely regulate it, the DeSantis administration continues its track record of putting Floridians’ interests first and protecting the state’s unique natural environment from potentially harmful experimentation. The comprehensive ban ensures Florida’s weather will remain a product of natural forces rather than human manipulation.
