Geoengineering in West Virginia
This Science and Technology note explains some of the technologies encompassed by geoengineering and their potential use. It also discusses common concerns and misconceptions surrounding geoengineering and highlights the actions states have taken to address geoengineering.
Research Highlights
Geoengineering consists of carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation modification.
Stratospheric aerosol injection is the method of solar radiation modification most relevant to West Virginia. It works by adding small molecules to clouds to help them reflect more solar radiation.
Geoengineering can have different effects depending on the location, method, and compounds used.
Stratospheric aerosol injection may reduce temperatures, but may also have negative effects, including increasing cloud cover and precipitation.
Geoengineering encompasses a number of technologies designed to affect Earth’s climate. This Science & Technology Note discusses the technologies that make up geoengineering, their potential use, some of the main concerns surrounding geoengineering, and highlights legislative actions concerning geonengineering in West Virginia and other states.
What is geoengineering?
Geoengineering encompasses methods that are designed to purposefully change the Earth’s climate in a large location over a number of years, primarily by cooling or reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There are two main types of geoengineering: carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation modification (SRM). CDR includes methods like reforestation, carbon soil sequestration through farming practices, and direct air capture and storage to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. SRM works by reducing the amount of solar energy passing through the atmosphere or increasing the amount of energy released back into space. There are several methods that have been proposed to lessen the amount of solar radiation in the lower atmosphere, including stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), marine cloud brightening, cirrus cloud thinning, and constructing a space mirror. SAI is the most relevant method for West Virginia, as other methods are underdeveloped or ill-suited to our conditions.
Adding aerosolized particles to clouds in the stratosphere increases how much solar radiation is reflected back into space, helping to cool the Earth. Adapted from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
What is stratospheric aerosol injection?
SAI is modeled after natural effects observed after large volcanic eruptions. Aerosolized particles are added to clouds in the stratosphere, making them more reflective and reducing the amount of solar radiation entering the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the most commonly studied molecule for use in SAI, but other molecules may be effective as well. These particles often remain in the upper atmosphere for several years, exerting their cooling effect. SAI is considered to be a relatively cheap method of geoengineering relative to other proposed climate interventions or the cost of not addressing an increasingly warm planet, however, the cost to fully implement a SAI remains extremely high.
Effectiveness of Geoengineering
Although research indicates that SRM techniques may be effective methods to reduce increasing global temperatures, there are risks and uncertainties that are important to note. Many climate models that have incorporated geoengineering disagree with each other. This is because geoengineering techniques can have very different effects based on factors like the latitude that they are performed at, the altitude that compounds are introduced into the atmosphere, how long geoengineering is used, and the amount of compound that is used in the geoengineering technique.
| Geoengineering | Weather Modification | |
|---|---|---|
| Area Affected | Large - Countries, International | Small - Cities, States |
| Durations | Years | Days |
| Methods | Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, Marine Cloud Brightening, Carbon Dioxide Removal | Cloud Seeding (creating new clouds) |
| Effects | Decreased Temperature, Increased Cloud Cover, Increased Precipitation | Increased Precipitation, Reduced Hail Size |
Concerns about Geoengineering
Common concerns surrounding geoengineering include health and environmental impacts resulting from the use of SAI. There are also many common misconceptions about geoengineering, such as the conflation with weather modification (see Table) or aircraft contrails. Aircraft exhaust contains carbon dioxide, water vapor, and less than 1% of soot, carbon monoxide, unburnt jet fuel, and sulfur and nitrogen oxides. This produces contrails when hot exhaust meets the cold atmosphere at high altitudes. Contrails persist in the sky because the water vapor in aircraft exhaust freezes into ice. This is not enough to significantly change reflectivity and is not geoengineering.
SO2 used for SAI can produce respiratory side effects, especially in those with existing respiratory disease. The EPA has set 0.03 parts per million (ppm) SO2 as a recommended highest average exposure rate. Current measurements estimate that the stratosphere currently contains around 0.000007 ppm SO2. Environmental concerns of SAI include the potential for an increase in precipitation and acid rain, decrease in ozone, and alterations in crop yields due to increased clouds and precipitation. However, these risks need to be measured against the risk of continued climate change.
A number of scientists are concerned about geoengineering and have signed an open letter advocating against its use due to a lack of understanding of the health and environmental impacts. They also think that focusing on geoengineering may prove detrimental to efforts to reduce carbon output. Other scientists point out that bans may stall necessary research. These scientists advocate for improved geoengineering governance and the potential use of geoengineering in addition to current climate change mitigation efforts. Polling finds that more scientists are in favor of geoengineering research and use than are against it.
What actions are states taking surrounding geoengineering?
Many states have introduced bills designed to prohibit geoengineering activities in their state. Some states are targeting weather modification and geoengineering, and others are only targeting geoengineering. Tennessee was the first state to prohibit geoengineering in 2024. In 2025, Florida and Louisiana both passed bills prohibiting geoengineering. West Virginia introduced three bills aiming to ban geoengineering in the 2025 session: HB 2758, HBl 3207, and SB 699. None of these bills advanced out of their committees. Over half of all states, including Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, have addressed geoengineering in some form as of August 2025. The federal government requires geoengineering and weather modification to be reported to NOAA, and a 2023 report emphasized the need for geoengineering research, but the federal government does not directly regulate geoengineering.
This Science and Technology Note was prepared by Madison Flory, PhD, West Virginia Science & Technology Policy Fellow on behalf of the West Virginia Science and Technology Policy (WV STeP) Initiative. The WV STeP Initiative provides nonpartisan research and information to members of the West Virginia Legislature. This Note is intended for informational purposes only and does not indicate support or opposition to a particular bill or policy approach. Please contact info@wvstep.org for more information.