(IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – Bills to prohibit cloud seeding in Iowa, raise the punishment for animal torture and require state prioritization of vehicles with biodiesel fuel capacities were sent to the Senate following House approval Thursday. House File 2640 would prohibit the intentional emission of air contaminants for the purpose of “affecting the temperature, weather, climate or intensity of sunlight.” The bill would prohibit geoengineering practices, or methods to reduce the impacts of climate change by releasing certain properties into the atmosphere. One form of geoengineering, called cloud seeding, involves the release of silver iodide crystals into certain types of clouds to trigger rain or snow.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office holds that while several states utilize cloud seeding technology, its benefits are “unproven.” A similar bill has also advanced in the Senate, though the bills are not identical. The House adopted an amendment that struck the first portion of the bill, which would have required public airports to submit regular reports on aircraft at the terminals with equipment that could emit weather-changing particles into the atmosphere. The amendment also specified that the aerial application of agricultural inputs, like pesticides or fertilizers, would not be affected by the bill.The bill passed with a vote of 59-26 along party lines.

The House voted unanimously Thursday to pass House File 2348, which would elevate animal torture from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class “D” felony in Iowa. The bill alters code to specify that someone is guilty of animal torture if they perform actions that intentionally crush, burn, drown, suffocate, impale or subject an animal to serious injury or death. Class “D” felonies are punishable with up to five years confinement and fines of $1,025 to $10,245, according to the bill

Another bill, passed from the House Thursday, would require that diesel engine passenger vehicles leased by the state be manufactured with the capacity to run high blends of biodiesel fuel.House File 2671 provides that diesel engine vehicles rented or leased by the state must be capable of running on B-20, a blend with 20% biodiesel fuel, or higher blends. This brings biodiesel requirements for leased and rented vehicles in line with state requirements for purchasing diesel engine vehicles.

An amendment was added to the bill and adopted by the House to stop the Iowa Department of Administrative Services from limiting the number of events held at the state Capitol complex to one event. HF 2671 passed with a vote of 85-1 with Rep. Mark Cisneros, R-Muscatine, as the sole no.