California regulators kill beloved July 4th fireworks due to pollution concerns

As the nation prepares for its 250th Independence Day celebration, the decades-old California Fourth of July fireworks tradition that has raised millions for local children’s programs is going dark this year after the California Coastal Commission rejected a last-ditch effort to keep the tradition alive, citing environmental concerns for protecting the bay.

“Over the past 14 years, we’ve raised $2 million for children’s programs in Long Beach,” event organizer John Morris told Fox News Digital, adding that the July 3 event was funded entirely by the local community.

“This community pays for everything, everything. City fees and the city doesn’t give us a break. We pay the city $20,000 for police and fire, which is fine with me because 100,000 people enjoy the fireworks,” said Morris, a Long Beach resident and business owner.

Morris, owner of the Boathouse on the Bay restaurant, had planned a bigger fireworks display this year to celebrate America’s 250th Independence Day.

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In January, Coastal Commission staff rejected the proposal, and last week commissioners unanimously approved it despite opposition supported by local, state and federal officials.

Organizers warned Morris last year that 2025 would be the last year fireworks would be displayed at the event as he continued to push organizers to switch to drone displays, which they say are more environmentally friendly.

The decision conflicts with other approvals the commission has issued, including a permit granting SeaWorld fireworks displays for up to 40 nights.

“They’ll be in Mission Bay for 40 nights. All I want is 20 minutes; that doesn’t mean anything,” Morris said.

Morris, 78, also pushed back on environmental concerns raised by the commission, pointing to years of testing for the event.

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Morris decided to cancel the July 3 celebration due to the lack of fireworks.

“We have 10 years of environmental studies,” Morris said. “We test the water before and after the fireworks and send a robotic camera into the bay to check for debris; there’s never been anything like that. Everything was spotless.”

“We’ve also had bird reports for eight years to make sure we weren’t harming wildlife. We’ve never had a problem. Not once have they been put in writing. So what’s this really about?”

California Coastal Commission spokesman Joshua Smith told Fox News Digital that permits are determined on a case-by-case basis, citing environmental concerns to “protect the bay.”

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Organizer John Morris said environmental studies were carried out regularly to measure the impact of the fireworks display on the bay. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Smith said Morris’ permit was approved to hold a drone show instead of fireworks. Morris told Fox News Digital that such a show would cost about $200,000; That’s roughly four times more than traditional fireworks.

Smith confirmed that SeaWorld had obtained a permit allowing 40 nights of fireworks. When pressed about the discrepancy, he reiterated that decisions were made on an individual basis and declined to provide further details.

Morris said the loss of the fireworks display will be felt throughout the community, from local businesses to the families who make the event an annual tradition.