It’s not even Christmas yet, and already they’re starting with the illegal fireworks.
That, essentially, is what Oahu residents used to say, back in the good old days when pre-Yule fireworks was considered early. Now the scofflaws — proving themselves to be completely thoughtless, really — have pushed out that envelope much further, so that the unwelcome noise and neighborhood disruptions have been starting at Thanksgiving, or even earlier.
Aerials shot off by home amateurs always have been illegal, and so are the homemade noise bombs being exploded, setting nerves on edge — human and non-human alike.
Every year since the city’s partial fireworks ban went into effect in 2011, taxpayers have vented their frustration with its spotty enforcement. Others, reminiscing about Honolulu’s tradition of explosive home New Year’s celebrations, have lobbied to get the ban lifted.
There really is no turning the clock back, though. Oahu is now far too densely populated to make the intrusion of noise, fire hazards and smoke pollution a mere irritant for one or two nights.
On the contrary, elected officials need to do much more to control this situation. Making the ban on Oahu effective will require a cooperative, coordinated approach with state and federal officials.
This mission already has been embraced by some within the Legislature, which in 2010 formed an Illegal Fireworks Task Force to plan a strategy. The result was a report in which the task force recommended increasing fines, raising revenue that could fund enforcement activities.
There have been nearly 50 fireworks offenses from 2015 to the present in which trials were scheduled, according to the city Prosecutor’s Office. But most of these cases involved customers, not the sellers, and they were dismissed.
A new state law clarifies that residents can be liable for aerials found on, and shot from, their property.
But if Honolulu truly intends to make inroads against this safety problem, it’s essential to go beyond discouraging the demand. The suppliers must be hit too, and hard.
The U.S. Attorney’s office handles prosecutions at the federal level but has not tracked many recent prosecutions. In one case, the defendant was sentenced for possession of display fireworks that had been stolen from a commercial fireworks production company.
The pyrotechnics are believed to be getting in largely through mainland shipments, said former state senator Will Espero. He co-chaired the task force, which recommended regular inspections of domestic shipments.
The 2019 Legislature took a tentative step toward implementation. State Rep. Ty Cullen (D, Waipahu-Royal Kunia-Makakilo) introduced House Bill 858 that aimed to establish a shipping container inspection program. It was referred to committee but was never heard — a disappointing outcome. Legislators need to take a serious look at this proposal, finally, when the 2020 session convenes in January.
The random checks would deploy explosives-sniffing dogs in container inspections and would include inspections of freight-forwarder warehouses and other facilities, “where consolidated cargo transported from any state harbor to the final destination is segregated and prepared for delivery.”
As much as reasonable surveillance is a critical component of a solution, so is the participation of the public in this project. With each year, the willingness to break the laws becomes more shameful.
That ought to underscore the necessity to call 911 to report violations. There’s no shame in helping to keep the peace at New Year’s Eve — and for all the weeks leading up to it.
