Bill Summary:

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• Defines atmospheric polluting intervention to include:

• Stratospheric aerosol injection.

• Cloud seeding.

• Solar radiation modification.

• The intentional release of an atmospheric contaminant from an airborne source that may have harmful consequences on human health, the environment, or agriculture.

 

• Makes criminal atmospheric pollution a Class D felony.

• Requires a person found guilty of criminal atmospheric pollution to pay a civil penalty of not less than $500,000, in addition to any other penalties authorized by law.

• Provides that each day a person engages in criminal atmospheric pollution constitutes a separate offense.

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• Empowers all Kentucky peace officers to enforce the prohibition on criminal atmospheric pollution and allows any person to report suspected violations. Requires an arresting officer to notify any federal agency that approved the prohibited activity that it cannot lawfully be carried out within or over the Commonwealth
 

• House Committee Substitute 1 provides exceptions for:

• Lawful aerial application of agricultural inputs and products.

• Electromagnetic radiation or fields emitted from FCC-certified wireless devices.

• Ground-level solar energy generating resources.

• Ground-level wind energy generating resources.

• Forestry and vegetation management activities

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