As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 290

2025-2026

To enact section 2917.43 of the Revised Code to prohibit a person from engaging in solar radiation modification, cloud seeding, or sunlight reflection methods, and to name the act the Atmosphere Protection Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 2917.43 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 2917.43. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Cloud seeding" means a form of weather modification where a pollutant is released into clouds to induce or enhance precipitation.

(2) "Marine cloud brightening" means enhancing the reflectivity of low-lying marine clouds to reflect more sunlight.

(3) "Pollutant" means any aerosol; biologic, transbiologic, or genetically modified agent; chaff; metal; radioactive material; acid; alkali; chemical; particulate; contaminant; smart dust; smoke; soot; fume; vapor; air pollutant regulated by this state; mechanical vibration or other physical agent; waste, including materials that may be recycled, reconditioned, or reclaimed; solid, liquid, gaseous, or thermal irritant; or artificially produced electric field, magnetic field, electromagnetic field, electromagnetic pulse, sound wave, sound pollution, light pollution, microwave, or ionizing or non-ionizing radiation.

(4) "Solar radiation modification" means an experiment in the earth's climatic system involving the release of pollutants that reduces the amount of sunlight absorbed by the earth, including through marine cloud brightening, space-based reflectors, or stratospheric aerosol injection.

(5) "Space-based reflectors" means deploying mirrors or other reflective objects in space to deflect sunlight.

(6) "Stratospheric aerosol injection" means introducing reflective particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight.

(B) No person or entity shall engage in solar radiation modification, cloud seeding, or sunlight reflection methods in this state, including through the use of an aircraft, balloon, drone, space-based platform, or interoperable ground-based facility.

(C) The superintendent of the state highway patrol or a county sheriff shall issue a cease-and-desist order to a person who the superintendent or sheriff determines is conducting or attempting to conduct solar radiation modification, cloud seeding, or sunlight reflection methods. No person shall fail to comply with a cease and desist order issued under this division.

(D) A violation of this section is a strict liability offense and section 2901.20 of the Revised Code does not apply.

(E) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a third degree felony and the court shall impose a mandatory prison term of thirty-six months on the offender and, notwithstanding section 2929.18 of the Revised Code, a fine of not less than five hundred thousand dollars.

Section 2. This act shall be known as the Atmosphere Protection Act.