Date: August 1, 2016
Snohomish County Council
Subject: Testimony in Support of the Fire Works Ban
On Behalf of the Sno-King Watershed Council, I am here today to support a ban of the use of fireworks in unincorporated Snohomish County.
Besides the obvious fire, air pollution, safety, and noise issues, fireworks powder contains significant amounts of elemental sulfur. More fireworks are lit on County roads leaving considerable residue on the streets. This high sulfur fireworks residue when mixed with water will produce sulfuric acid. The low pH runoff then contributes to water pollution, acidification of the streams which can be especially harmful to fish and aquatic invertebrates during periods of low summer flows when stream water temperatures are high, oxygen levels are low and fish and other aquatic organisms are most stressed.
Any reduction in polluted storm water runoff from streets in summer is particularly important to help reduce the “first flush” effects on streams, some of which provide habitat for endangered Chinook salmon.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments.