Committee pushes for Narrowsburg fireworks change

Posted 8/21/12

NARROWSBURG, NY — A committee working on changing the location of the Narrowsburg Fourth of July fireworks display is hoping to get it moved back to its original location at Lander’s Narrowsburg …

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Committee pushes for Narrowsburg fireworks change

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NARROWSBURG, NY — A committee working on changing the location of the Narrowsburg Fourth of July fireworks display is hoping to get it moved back to its original location at Lander’s Narrowsburg Campground. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has said it could support such a move, which would keep the fireworks far enough from local eagles’ nests to satisfy regulatory requirements.

For many years the display had been held at the Lander’s site adjacent to the Upper Delaware River on land leased from the Narrowsburg Fire Department. At some point, however, this arrangement was no longer desirable for Lander, and the display was moved down river a bit.

It turned out that the new location was too close to an eagle’s nest to comply with laws regarding the protection of eagles. After an inquiry from this newspaper to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to follow up on a 2011 July 4 incident when an eaglet allegedly had fallen out of its nest, the fireworks for 2012 were ultimately cancelled. That year, the display was to be sponsored by the Lava Fire Department, but had they moved forward with the fireworks at that location, the department could have faced fines of up to $200,000 if an eagle were harmed.

The National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines dictate that Class B explosives, which include fireworks, should not be detonated within a half-mile of an active roost, or within one mile in the case of an open area such as the Delaware River.

The following year, Tusten council member Ned Lang allowed the display to be held on property he owns in Narrowsburg.

Members of the Fireworks Committee, Eileen Falk, Anie Stanley and Barry Becker, however, would like to see the display moved back to its first location, on Lander’s campground. Rick Lander said there are too many people at the campground to allow for the fireworks to be staged there. A copy of the letter they sent to Lander can be found on page 7.

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