Residents of at least one county in the region will be able to legally use small “novelty” fireworks this summer, and those in a second may be able to enjoy them as well.
Fireworks have been illegal in New York for decades. But state law changed late last year to allow the sale of sparklers, poppers and small, non-explosive fountains.
Counties, though, must approve of the sales for the small fireworks to be legal within their boundaries, and they can only be sold during two periods each year, between June 1 and July 5 and Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
Saratoga County began the legalization process last month, and a public hearing on a local law that would allow the sales is scheduled for Wednesday at the county Municipal Center in Ballston Spa.
Warrensburg Supervisor Kevin Geraghty, chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said information about the law change was distributed at last week’s New York State Association of Counties conference.
He said he plans to ask the county board’s Legislative and Rules Committee to look into the issue and to gauge support for a local law to allow sales of novelty fireworks.
Washington County Attorney Roger Wickes said county leaders in Washington County also recently got information on the law change, but there had not yet been any formal proposals for Washington County to opt in.
“I’m sure it will come up at some point,” he said.
Geraghty said county leaders were told at the NYSAC conference they would likely get some pushback from fire departments.
Brian LaFlure, Warren County’s fire coordinator, said he hadn’t heard of any local concerns about fire or safety issues.
He pointed out that the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, a state fire safety advocacy organization, has taken a position against the law change.
“We continue to have serious concerns about the potential danger of these devices and we will be aggressively educating local legislative bodies on these concerns,” said Robert Leonard, spokesman for FASNY, in a quote on the agency’s website.
In addition to legalizing some lower-echelon fireworks, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has clarified the section of state Penal Law that governs fireworks, more clearly spelling out what is illegal.