Study of Coronado Fireworks Delayed

Coronado has held the same fireworks show in Glorietta Bay for the last half century, said 4th of July Committee Vice President David Szymanski.

For the first time since the start of the show, a study was planned this year to consider the impact of fireworks displays on endangered species within a mile of fireworks.

The study was to take place this year but will have to wait until next July 4 due to permit issues and an inability to hire a contractor, said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Field Supervisor Karen Goebel. An Audubon Society volunteer may observe the impact of fireworks instead.

Nesting sites for Snowy Plovers and California Least Terns are believed to be on the ocean side of NAB Coronado within a mile of Glorietta Bay and are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

"Hopefully next year we can get something more concrete going in time but this year I don't think it's happening," Goebel said.

Last year when nearby Big Bay Boom fireworks went off all at once the noise and lights, birds were scared away from nesting sites near the airport. 

"So there was some concern that they could go off and disturb the birds temporarily. What are the long term impacts of that? We don't know," she said. 

In other parts of San Diego environmental disputes and legal battles have led to the cancellation of fireworks displays. 

If fireworks are found to have an impact, U.S. Fish and Wildlife would work with organizers to implement recommended changes and accommodate the birds.  

"We will be looking at what is the impact of the fireworks display if any and if there is making recommendations to protect the birds and minimize the disturbance but there's no law that says you have to stay a half mile away or a mile away," Goebel said.

Requests had been made in prior years to study the impact of fireworks but this is the first year funding was provided by the City of Coronado and 4th of July Organizing Committee, Goebel said.

"I know things have to be done and we have to follow the law and that's what we're trying to do," Szymanski said. "If it does have an impact I don't know what the committee will do."

One possible consequence could be reducing the size of fireworks used in the show from 12-inch shells to 10- or 8-inch shells, the committee said in a brief to the city. 

"We used to do 10-inch shells but we've gone down to the six and eight and we've even limited the eight inch shells. We haven't done 10-inch shells for about four or five years," he said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may request the fireworks be moved, but safety concerns restrict the barge's ability to move to exceed one mile distance which is generally considered acceptable, Goebel said.