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

As the country prepares to celebrate the 250th Independence Day, a decades-long California tradition of July 4 fireworks that raised millions for local children’s programs is dying out this year after the California Coastal Commission rejected a last-ditch effort to keep it alive, citing environmental concerns to protect the bay.

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

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

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

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Long Beach residents have enjoyed John Morris fireworks for over a decade. (Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images)

In January, Coastal Commission staff rejected the proposal, and last week, commissioners unanimously upheld that decision despite a sustained appeal by local, state and federal officials.

Regulators warned Morris last year that 2025 would likely be the last year for fireworks at the event, as they continue to push organizers to shift to drone shows they deem more environmentally friendly.

The decision contrasts with other commission approvals, including a permit to SeaWorld allowing up to 40 nights of fireworks displays.

“They have 40 nights in Mission Bay. All I’m asking for is 20 minutes – that doesn’t make any sense,” Morris said.

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

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Due to a lack of fireworks, Morris decided to cancel the July 3 celebration.

“We did 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 any. It’s spotless.

“We’ve also had eight years of bird reports to make sure we’re not harming wildlife. We’ve never had a problem. We’ve never been written up once. So what is it really about?”

Joshua Smith, a spokesperson for the California Coastal Commission, 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 are regularly carried out to measure the fireworks’ impact on the bay. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Smith said Morris obtained a permit to put on a drone show instead of fireworks. Morris told Fox News Digital that such a display would cost about $200,000, about four times as much as a traditional fireworks display.

Smith confirmed that SeaWorld had received a permit allowing 40 nights of fireworks. When pressed on the discrepancy, he reiterated that decisions are made individually 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 have made the event an annual tradition.