Written by Will Seykora
Far-left animal rights lawyer Bryan Pease filed a lawsuit seeking to stop fireworks from being launched over La Jolla Cove, citing environmental risks as their concern. The city listened, forcing the La Jolla Community Fireworks Foundation to ask for a coastal development permit before they were approved for the park permit.
“Two days or three days ago, we were informed by the city that we would have to get a coastal development permit to get the park permit. Jack McGroy, with the La Jolla Community Fireworks Foundation said. The lawsuit, says that “The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act makes it unlawful ‘for any person… to take any marine mammal in waters or on lands under the jurisdiction of the United States.'” With “take” defined by Pease as meaning to harass, capture, kill, or hunt marine animals. The lawsuit also defines harassment as any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance.
However, most residents see this firework show as an integral part of the community, with the tradition starting in 1985 and continuing up until 2018 due to a lack of funding. Since then the show has been M.I.A. with the organizers saying “It’s been a part of the Village, and this community, not just as a signature event for so many years, but it’s a tradition for us,” Marengo concluded. “It was really sad to have had to stop it at any point. But people really need to understand that it does take a village to put this show on.”
Whether the show will return next year remains to be seen, however, plans are in place to move the show to a new location in order to prevent any further legal action in the future. A city representative said, “The city is willing to work with the applicants on alternative celebration ideas and today issued a park-use permit for EB Scripps Park.” Further saying “While we know this is frustrating, the city must follow all applicable laws and regulations to safeguard residents and environmentally sensitive lands.”
