Seized fireworks
to be shipped out

The federal government will pay
for transporting and destroying 14 tons,
enough to fill a cargo container

House may target imports

By Jaymes K. Song
Star-Bulletin

The federal government will pay roughly $20,000 to ship and dispose of 14 of the 15 tons of fireworks seized by the Honolulu Police Department last month.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms has tentatively agreed to take and dispose of one cargo shipping container, or about 14 tons, of seized fireworks, said ATF agent Tracy Elder this morning.

The fireworks will probably be shipped to the mainland to be "blown up," Elder said. But the disposal plan is still in the research stages, and nothing has been decided.

Elder said the federal government will pay for the shipping and destruction of the fireworks, and HPD will not have to pay costs. Most of the $20,000 will cover shipping costs.

He said the fireworks could go to Nevada, which has less stringent environmental requirements compared with other mainland states.

Because of the quantity of fireworks, Elder said, "there's no way it can be destroyed here."

An estimated 15 tons of fireworks were seized in the final two weeks of 1999. The majority -- 12 to 14 tons -- came from a bust at a warehouse near Sand Island Access Road.

Police said more fireworks were seized last year than the previous five to 10 years combined.

HPD has also been destroying some fireworks by burning them in 50-gallon drums, said Assistant Police Chief Robert K. Kane, who added that he didn't know how much was burned.

A portion will also be disposed of by the military, said an HPD spokeswoman.

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House may target
fireworks imports

Stricter inspections and higher fees
may be agreed on, rather than a total ban

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

State House leaders want to get to work right away to pass a bill to restrict fireworks in Hawaii.

And if they can't get the Senate to agree with them on requiring permits for fireworks use, they'll opt for heavy restrictions on the importation of fireworks, says House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo).

Say, after meeting with House majority members yesterday, said a bill relating to fireworks remains alive in a House-Senate conference committee from last session, and hopes conferees can pick up where they left off in the first month of the session.

"I was fortunate to see the (Senate) president last week, and he and I agreed that we would take it up very shortly after the opening, maybe by the third or fourth week of January," Say said.

There is no consensus in the House for a ban on fireworks, Say said. However, he will talk to House Judiciary Chairman Eric Hamakawa (D, Hilo) about coming up with a proposal that more strictly restricts importation of fireworks into Hawaii. Say wants to assess importers a $5,000 fee for their fireworks applications and licenses. And he wants the fire department to inspect incoming freight shipments of fireworks.

"The idea behind it is to find out if there are any illegal fireworks hidden within the legal fireworks containers. If there are, the total shipment should be confiscated and be contrabanded back to the fire department" for disposal, Say said.

Another idea is to have the Honolulu Police Department hire a special unit to inspect incoming fireworks containers. The unit would be called to duty anytime a manifest or bill of laden from a shipping company reflects a fireworks shipment, he said.

"The onus will be on the importer," said Say, who hasn't discussed these ideas with the fire or police departments.

Senate Intergovernmental Affairs Chairman Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu) said he is willing to take up the fireworks issue early. Kawamoto stood firm on a fireworks ban last session while the House proposed allowing the counties to restrict legal fireworks purchases through a permit system.

Kawamoto said yesterday if agreement to ban fireworks use cannot be reached, he wants to consider stricter penalties for those with illegal fireworks and tougher standards for those who want to use legal fireworks.

Gov. Ben Cayetano reiterated his desire for a fireworks ban yesterday, saying fireworks cause too many problems. While some may feel that it is a tradition, Cayetano said some traditions have to end.

"It seems to me that this is such a clear-cut health and safety issue that we don't need to go through any kind of poll or survey because I think it's something that needs to be done because it's the right thing to do," Cayetano said.