(1) The director may issue permits applicable to specific weather modification operations. For each operation, said permit shall describe the specific geographic area authorized to be affected and shall provide a specific time period during which the operation may continue, which period may be discontinuous but for operations other than ground-based winter cloud seeding may not have a total duration exceeding one calendar year from the day of its issuance. A separate permit shall be required for each operation. Permits for ground-based winter cloud seeding shall have a duration of five years. If a permit for a ground-based winter cloud seeding operation is renewed, the second permit shall have a duration of five years and any third or subsequent permit shall have a duration of ten years. The director shall issue only one active permit for activities in any geographic area if two or more projects therein might adversely interfere with each other. (2) The director shall, by regulation or order, establish standards and instructions to govern the carrying out of research and development or commercial operations in weather modification that the director considers necessary or desirable to minimize danger to land, health, safety, people, property, or the environment. (3) (a) The director may make any studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any hearings the director considers necessary or proper to assist the director in exercising the director's power or administering or enforcing this article or any regulations or orders issued under this article. (b) All hearings conducted under this article shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of this article and article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., and the director or the director's designee shall conduct any hearing required by this article or the director may, by the director's own action, appoint an administrative law judge pursuant to part 10 of article 30 of title 24, C.R.S., subject to appropriations made to the department of personnel, to conduct any hearing required by this article. Any hearing shall be conducted under the provisions and within the limitations of article 4 or title 24, C.R.S., and this article. (4) (a) The director may, upon approval of the governor, represent the state in matters pertaining to plans, procedures, or negotiations for interstate compacts relating to weather modification, but, before any such compacts may be implemented, the consent of the general assembly must be obtained. (b) The director may represent the state and assist counties, municipalities, and public agencies in contracting with commercial operators for the performance of weather modification or cloud-seeding operations. Counties, municipalities, and other public agencies of this state are hereby granted the authority to contribute to and participate in weather modification. (5) In order to assist in expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather modification, the director may participate in and promote continuous research and development in: (a) The theory and development of weather modification, including processes, materials, ecological effects, and devices related to such matters; (b) The utilization of weather modification for agricultural, industrial, commercial, municipal, recreational, and other purposes; (c) The protection of life and property and the environment during research and operational activities. (6) The director may conduct and may contract for research and development activities relating to the purposes of this article. (7) The director, subject to limits of the department of natural resources' appropriation, may hire any technical or scientific experts or any staff deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this article. (8) Subject to any limitations imposed by law, the department of natural resources, acting through the director, may accept federal grants, private gifts, and donations from any other source. Unless the use of the money is restricted, or subject to any limitations provided by law, the director may: (a) Spend it for the administration of this article; (b) By grant, contract, or cooperative arrangement, use the money to encourage research and development by a public or private agency; or (c) Use the money to contract for weather modification operations. (9) The director shall prescribe those measurements reasonably necessary to be made prior to and during all operations to determine the probable effects of an operation.
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