Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)
February 09, 2026 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the Air Quality Act. This legislation would prohibit weather modification activities in the United States and establish clear federal guidelines to protect air quality, public health, and environmental integrity.
For more than 60 years, governments around the world, including the United States, have explored weather modification techniques such as geoengineering and cloud seeding. Some of these efforts, including military experiments during the Vietnam era, are now well-documented. In recent years, private interest and investment in atmospheric and climate intervention technologies have increased significantly, underscoring the need for clear rules, oversight, and accountability in a largely unregulated space.
“Just as we place strict standards on water quality, the same approach should be applied to air quality,” said Rep. Steube. “Our skies should never be treated as a testing ground for chemical or atmospheric manipulation.”
The Air Quality Act builds on actions taken by the state of Florida by creating a uniform federal prohibition on activities intended to affect weather, temperature, or sunlight intensity. The bill establishes strong criminal and civil penalties for any individual or entity that knowingly releases substances into the atmosphere for the purpose of altering environmental conditions.
The bill prohibits weather modification and geoengineering activities nationwide, establishes strong penalties to deter those who would pollute our air, strengthens federal oversight and enforcement, and creates transparent reporting and investigation mechanisms to improve public trust.
“It is important for the American people to trust that their government does not support or fund weather modification activities, nor does it permit rogue actors who attempt to pollute our air,” Steube said. “The Air Quality Act establishes much-needed national enforcement and accountability standards.”
The Air Quality Act is not about speculation or conspiracy theories. It is about strengthening transparency, accountability, and public confidence by applying the same commonsense environmental standards to our air that are applied across other areas of environmental protection.Read the full bill text here.