BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is pushing for a comprehensive study of cloud seeding over complaints from farmers and ranchers that the practice may be making drought conditions worse.
The Bismarck Tribune reports that Burgum told a meeting of the state Water Commission that a lot of people think the commission is using old and insufficient data to support the program. One of those studies was conducted between 1969 and 1972.
Six counties and a portion of a seventh participate in the state’s weather modification program, which seeds clouds with silver iodide to suppress hail and increase rainfall.
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The budget for the cloud seeding program is about $1 million for 2017, with one-third coming from the state and two-thirds from participating counties.
The commission took no action on Burgum’s request.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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