separated from operating functions. A good precedent for a regulatory commission exists in the case of the Federal Power Commission, established for regulation of the electric utilities. The Federal Communications Commission is another such example. (2) It is recommended that such a Commission be created by Congress. This Commission should enforce the regulatory functions and would be appointed by the President and composed of distinguished private citizens. (3) The Commission should have an Advisory Board consisting of promi nent citizens active in the field of weather modification and from related business and professional activities. (4) Each Federal operating agency should continue to plan its own programs in weather modification which should then be coordinated through the Interagency Committee on Atmospheric Sciences (ICAS) of the Federal Council for Science and Technology in order to fall within the budgetary limitations set by Congress. In order to avoid conflicts of interest the Chairman of ICAS should not be a member of an operating agency but should be selected from the staff of the Office of Science and Technology as in the case for the Committee on Water Resources Research. (5) To avoid initial premature and unwarranted restrictions in developing the applications of weather modification, any regulatory limitation on weather modification research and operations and/or licensing should be established either prior to the legislation by hearings before congressional committees, or, subsequent to the legislation after adequate opportunity for hearings by all interested parties before the Commission. (6) Any legislation should insure, by specific language, that planning and operation be conducted in such a way as to utilize fully the capabilities of universities and industries through grants and contracts. Consideration should also be given to the development of manpower, possibly by authorizing a specific portion of the funding under a title such as "contracts, grants. and fellowships." Thank you for requesting my comments on S. 373. Very truly yours, EUGENE BOLLAY, President, E. Bollay Associates, Inc. Senator CANNON. Do we have any other witnesses here now who I have not called on, that were prepared to testify today? If there are no other witnesses here to testify, that will conclude the hearings at this location. The meeting will be adjourned. (Whereupon, at 12:05 p.m. the hearings was adjourned.) Hon. HOWARD W. CANNON, U.S. Senate, Denver, Colo. FEDERATION OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES, INC., DEAR SENATOR CANNON: As Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Rocky Mountain States, Inc., I extend the appreciation of the Governors of the States of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, for this opportunity to advise your Committee of the Federation's support for legislation which will permit the development of an operational program in weather modification to augment the available sources of water for the Colorado River System. The Federation of Rocky Mountain States, Inc. was organized in 1966 by the Governors of the Rocky Mountain States to promote the economic development of this vast area. At that time it was recognized that economic development of the Rocky Mountain States could not take place without full development of its limited water resources. There are many arid areas in the eight Western States which require substantial supplies of water in addition to the natural rainfall. Only a comparatively small portion of the territory west of the Mississippi River enjoys enough regular precipitation to meet its needs. Consequently, the flows in our local streams and rivers are insufficient and must be supplemented by water from other sources. If the Rocky Mountain States are to meet their challenge for growth, the future will require the importation of water, better use of existing ground water, reclamation of municipal waste water, desalination of sea water and multiple reuse of all water, but none of these alternatives offers the immediate potential of an operational program in weather modification. Recorded estimates indicate that a weather modification program will make additional water available at a cost ranging from 50¢ to $1.50 per acre foot. These costs are substantially less than any other available estimates of cost if the same amount of water were to be developed under any of the other methods identified above. Additionally, a program of weather modification can be undertaken with a minimum delay and without high operational costs. In recognition of the population growth in several of our Western States, we must accept the fact that the requirements for new sources of water are already here. The present growth of industry in our eight states also highlights the need for an operational program now-not just more tests. The relatively low density of population in the Colorado River Basin area is a strong factor in the support of using the region for the development of an operational weather modification program. Much of the additional rainfall and water flow would have limited effect on inhabitants of the area for much of the land is publicly owned. Accordingly any anticipated adverse results arising from the program conducted in the Colorado River Basin would be minimal at this time. It is also felt that there is today a greater public acceptance of the concept of weather modification because of the encouraging results attributed to the experimental programs and tests conducted to date. Because water augmentation is one of our most pressing problems the Governors of the Rocky Mountain States seek every opportunity to develop new sources of water. Since weather modification shows great promise for benefiting all of the states at no particular expense or sacrifice to any one of the states, a consolidated position of support is possible. Uniquely, the potential of maximum good for all of the states is inherent in this kind of program. Although it is recognized that weather modification will not provide the entire solution to our regional water needs, it does in fact suggest an intermediate solution which will permit the states to use the borrowed time to plan imaginatively for substantial water importation from Canada and provide the time needed for the states to develop the cooperative plans that reflect the interdependence of the mountain states. It is with this in mind that we submit this letter in order to recommend to the Committee that operational programs in weather modification be undertaken as soon as possible. Sincerely yours, STANLEY K. HATHAWAY, Governor of the State of Wyoming, and Chairman, Federation of Rocky Mountain States, Inc. |