Bill to ban fireworks fizzles in Santa Fe

From the Alamogordo Daily News - By Milan Simonich, Texas-New Mexico Newspapers - A bill permitting bans on the use and sale of fireworks appears on the verge of fizzling. The measure would enable the governor, as well as city and county governments, to declare an emergency and institute bans of up to 30 days. The bill stayed alive Tuesday after a 90-minute hearing in the Senate Public Affairs Committee, but even one of the sponsors said the time was right for a compromise with the fireworks industry. Rep. Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, said he wanted to sit down with owners of fireworks businesses to discuss an alternative. Gentry is cosponsoring the bill with Democratic Sen. Dede Feldman of Albuquerque. Eddie Arnett, who owns fireworks businesses in southern New Mexico, told the committee the bill was unnecessary. Arnett said fireworks almost never are the cause of wildfires. By the state's estimates, nearly 1 million acres burned last year, and about 3,700 acres were linked to fireworks use. Feldman and Gentry said they agreed that fireworks cause few fires. But, they said, fireworks can be controlled. Wind and lightning cannot. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez called for the power to impose fireworks bans last summer, one of the worst seasons ever for wildfires in New Mexico. Read more

Bill to ban fireworks fizzles in Santa Fe