Tuesday, January 9, 2001
Funds for cloud seeding approved in area
counties
By Larry Zelisko
Reporter-News Staff Report
Two area counties gave a boost Monday to
getting a cloud-seeding project off the ground.
Eastland and Coleman counties approved funds for the nine-county
West Central Texas Weather Modification Association program, while
Nolan County commissioners tabled final action.
The association plans to drop chemicals into clouds. By fertilizing
clouds, the group hopes longer rains will quench the thirst of
lakes, aquifers, crops and grasses.
Eastland County commissioners agreed to commit $23,750 per year
to the project for four years.
Commissioners will accept $2,500 a year from the Brazos River
Authority for the project and will solicit contributions from
corporations, cities, economic development boards and water supply
districts in the county to help cover the costs.
Coleman County commissioners agreed to pay $2,000 a year toward
the project, and left themselves the option of providing more
money if any is available in the project’s remaining three
years. Coleman County’s portion of the project is $18,458
per year.
Dave Thweatt with the Coleman County Water Supply Co. said the
water supply company has committed for slightly more than $6,000
and has asked the county and city to do the same. The city of
Coleman last week tabled a decision on providing funds until Jan.
18.
Commissioners said they could commit only $2,000 because of courthouse
and road repairs.
Nolan County commissioners Monday voted to give County Attorney
Lisa Peterson more time to study the association’s by-laws
and an agreement between the three groups funding Nolan County’s
share of the cost.
Nolan County, the city of Sweetwater and the Sweetwater Enterprise
for Economic Development have agreed to divide the cost.
Originally, 19 counties around Abilene were included in the program.
Ten of them declined because of the cost.
With a smaller area to cover, the cost to the remaining counties
has dropped.
Nolan County’s original cost was to be $34,571 a year. That
has dropped to $20,945, or nearly $7,000 each from the city, county
and SEED board.
Nolan County Judge Tim Fambrough said covering a smaller area
will reduce the cost of silver iodide to seed clouds, and will
require only one airplane instead of two.
Callahan, Comanche, Runnels and Taylor counties have committed
to the program. Brown County has been asked to participate, and
Coke County is included through an $80,000 pledge from AEP/West
Texas Utilities. The power company has a generating plant on Oak
Creek Reservoir in Coke County.
Contact regional editor Larry Zelisko at
676-6764, (800) 588-6397 or zeliskol@ abinews.com.
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Copyright ©2001, Abilene
Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps. Publications
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