Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) released an official statement that he supports bills targeting chemical interference in the state.
DeSantis announced his support for SB 56, which prohibits geoengineering. On Tuesday, the Republican governor signed SB 700, banning the automatic addition of fluoride into public water sources. These pieces of legislation are “aimed at protecting Floridians from unauthorized chemical exposure and atmospheric manipulation,” a press release from DeSantis’ office said.
“We already do not permit this activity, and I will be signing SB 56 to prohibit the practice in our skies,” DeSantis said of the geoengineering bill. “The Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces,” the release explained. “Additionally, the Department of Environmental Protection will launch a public reporting portal to identify suspected violations which will launch this summer.”
Under SB 56, all publicly owned airports are to “report the presence of any aircraft equipped with weather modification or geoengineering equipment to the Florida Department of Transportation” beginning in October 2025.
DeSantis issued a similar statement on X, emphasizing that he plans to sign the bill “as soon as it reaches” his desk.”
SB 56 states that the “injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of a chemical, a chemical compound, a substance, or an apparatus into the atmosphere within the borders of this state for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight is prohibited.”
Those who participate in geoengineering, including “any public or private corporation,” have committed a felony of the third degree, the bill adds.
