SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The California Coastal Commission approved a proposal this week allowing SeaWorld to conduct drone light shows over Mission Bay.
The decision comes more than a year after San Diego Coastkeeper and CERF filed a lawsuit against the theme park over pollution from its traditional fireworks displays.
Under the approved proposal, SeaWorld can conduct up to 110 aerial light shows over the next year and will start as early as next month.
Phillip Musegaas of San Diego Coastkeeper called the decision a win for the environment. He believes the lawsuit influenced the park's move to propose the drone light shows.
“We launched an investigation. We actually sent a diver into the water around the fireworks barge that's operated by SeaWorld,” Musegaas told ABC 10News last year in June.
Musegaas said dive teams are still finding debris left behind from decades of firework shows dating back to 1968.
“The wiring, the cardboard and the plastics that are used in commercial fireworks… a lot of that debris was falling directly into the bay and polluting the bay,” Musegaas said.
While the approval does not guarantee fireworks are going away permanently, it signals a possible shift in bringing a possible resolution to the table.
“We just don't think fireworks shows over Mission Bay are sustainable and environmentally acceptable,” Musegaas said.
As for the ongoing lawsuit, SeaWorld declined to comment.
“Our goal always when we file a suit is to stop the pollution,” Musegaas said. “Its not to make money for Coastkeeper, It's not to get our name out there. It's to address an environmental harm.“
SeaWorld will be required to monitor 20% of drone shows each month.The park must suspend the entertainment option if the shows exceed light and noise thresholds or if a bird is struck by a drone. The drones are equipped with anti-crash technology to minimize bird strikes and collisions with other drones.
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