TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed his assist for a invoice banning what he referred to as climate modification “nonsense” earlier than it hits the Senate ground on Thursday.
SB-56, dubbed the so-called “chemtrails invoice” after its sponsor pointed to the conspiracy principle whereas defending the invoice in committee, prohibits “the injection, launch, or dispersion, by any means, of a chemical, a chemical compound, a substance, or an equipment into the environment throughout the borders of this state for the specific function of affecting the temperature, climate, local weather, or depth of daylight.”
“Many people senators obtain issues, complaints frequently relating to these condensation trails, aka chemtrails,” invoice sponsor Ileana Garcia stated in a committee listening to final month. “There’s a whole lot of skepticism.”
The invoice would additionally require the Florida Division of Environmental Safety to arrange a system permitting residents to report “suspected geoengineering actions” and directing the FDEP to analyze these claims.
DeSantis stated that whereas he helps the invoice, it was “gutted” by the Home lawmakers who made adjustments to their version on Wednesday, slicing down the invoice from 10 pages to a single web page.
“I assist the laws, nonetheless, the Florida Home of Representatives has gutted Sen. Garcia’s laws, and they’d truly codify the apply of geoengineering and climate modification,” DeSantis stated in a video posted to X.
The Home model of the invoice doesn’t forbid the apply of climate modification outright, simply with no license. It additionally comes with a much less steep penalty.
The Senate model, which might impose a sweeping ban, requires violators to be charged with a third-degree felony and face a positive as much as $100,000. The Home model would cost these with no license, or who lie on their utility, with a second-degree misdemeanor and as much as a $10,000 positive.
“Folks have a whole lot of kooky concepts that they’ll get in and put issues within the environment to dam the solar and save us from local weather change,” DeSantis stated. “We’re not enjoying that sport in Florida.”
If handed, the legislation would take impact on July 1.
