July 4 Fireworks Fizzling Out?

Some are concerned that a hearing being held this week on La Jolla's July 4 fireworks display could snuff out all the others on the water, too.

Sunday's annual fireworks display at La Jolla Cove is very much in jeopardy because of an environmental lawsuit. Some attorneys think that lawsuit could have wider implications, because if the judge hearing the case finds it valid on Wednesday morning, it could impact fireworks shows around the region for years to come.

"All of the fireworks shows are using the same guidelines, so as long as we're all using the same guidelines, how can you just cancel La Jolla's show based on the permitting without cancelling all of the other ones?" wondered Deborah Marengo of the La Jolla Community Fireworks Foundation.

For a quarter-century the fireworks at the cove have been a La Jolla tradition, but now their fate is in the hands of a judge who will consider a temporary restraining order being sought by Encinitas attorney Marco Gonzalez.
   
Gonzalez is suing the organizers of La Jolla fireworks and the city on the basis that they aren't requiring environmental review for the show and haven't gone through the neccessary steps to ensure it complies with federal and state regulations that protect the environment.

"What we have to prove is whether there is the potential for harm, and we've got a host of studies that show -- and a bunch of other agencies that have found -- that the discharge of fireworks over water in close proximity to marine mammals and other sensitive resources have a strong potential to cause harm," Gonzalez said.

The hearing is slated for 8:30 a.m. at the downtown courthouse. 

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