By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.-With the Fourth of July Memorial Day just weeks away— the local firework shows are sure to echo throughout the township.
Prior to lighting up the night, a few new firework laws should be considered before the booms of summer echo.
On Monday night the township board of trustees voted 5-0 to amend the current fireworks ordinance that could fizzle a few celebrations.

“The amendment mirrors the changes in the state law that occurred at the beginning of the year,” said David Lattie, township attorney.
There are two important elements to the new ordinance. The statute is a significant reduction in the number of days fireworks can be used, from 30 days in the old statute, to 12 days in the new rules. Also, there is a change for penalties, now it’s $1,000 for each violation and $500 of that to fund the township police department—the Genesee County Sheriff Department. If the police officer determined that a violation of the ordinance occurred, the officer may seize the consumer fireworks as evidence of the violation.
“The peculiar step the state took with the imposition of the penalty, is an attempt to recognize the burden on local municipalities for responding to these kind of calls,” added Lattie. “Still, it’s pretty rare for a civil infraction to bring a criminal penalty. The good news for a lot of neighbors who don’t appreciate the number of fireworks, is the significant number of reduction (in days). That’s really the only change to the ordinance. You can restrict more then what has already been restricted, but you can allow more.”
The last time the township amended was in 2017 to include the weekend before and after the Fourth of July, when it fell mid week.
Township Supervisor Tere Onica supported the tougher penalties.
“Because everyone is pretty much sick and tired of the fireworks that go off continually all the time,” she said. “Those of us with animals, horses, dogs it’s too much. I don’t know why people are so firecracker crazy.”