SAM Magazine-Melbourne, Australia, July 5, 2007-With preliminary results in from three years of cloud-seeding tests, Australian resorts are pushing the New South Wales government to continue the program.

Cloud seeding trials begun in 2004 aimed to increase snow depth in the target area by 10 percent. A similar trial in the late 1950s reported increases in snowfall of about 20 percent. The program uses an inert tracing agent with the seeding agent as a method for assessing the program and results from this technique indicate effective coverage of the target area and similar increases in snowfall to the 1950's trial.

Australian Ski Areas Association (ASAA) executive director Andrew Ramsey said the tests have shown no significant negative environmental impacts from the trial. He added that NSW resorts strongly support an extension of cloud seeding, and increasing the number of storms that are seeded.

An increase in snowfall would be of significant benefit to the NSW alpine resorts, regional employment and regional communities as it would minimize the economic impacts of drought and climate change, the ASAA asserts.

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