Display fireworks often seen at sporting games or professional Fourth of July shows are still illegal for consumers without federal permits.

MSU police Detective Tom Miller said although the new law allows for a better range of pyrotechnics, students are still not permitted to light fireworks on campus because it is considered public property.

In order to gain permission to light fireworks on campus, students must go through proper measures through MSU police and the president’s office to receive consent, which Miller said he doubts many will do.

Off campus, students are permitted by law to light fireworks July 3-5 — the day before, the day of and the day after a national holiday, as law stipulates — but must gain permission from the owner of the property and cannot set off fireworks after 11 p.m., according to East Lansing noise ordinance regulations.

Miller said agencies in the East Lansing area will be on patrol issuing noise violation tickets at their discretion and advising them of the firework laws.

“Trying to control all of (the fireworks) in the time frame — the day before, the day of and the day after (the Fourth of July) — is going to take a lot of patrol for law enforcement and for fire department officials,” Miller said.

The East Lansing Police Department issued a warning to residents to be cognizant of the city’s noise ordinance, which states, “the creation of any excessive or unreasonably loud noise which disturbs the comfort, repose or peace of others within the city by being plainly audible to persons within any dwelling, hotel, hospital, office or other type of residence other than that from which it originates” is unlawful.

ELPD officials said they plan to respond to noise complaints and will issue misdemeanor fines amounting to about $250, about $350 for a second and about $500 for a third.

Since the law was passed, MSU alumnus Sean Conn, vice president of legal for Big Fireworks, 901 N. Larch St., said the business’s percentage increase in sales has gone up significantly.

“(Business) has been increasingly better every single day,” Conn said. “People are getting very excited about the ability to use (more types of) fireworks.”

Before the law, Conn said the company sold fireworks that stayed on the ground, such as sparklers and fountains. But now the inventory in Michigan includes more aerial displays, such as firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman Candles.

Because of the extreme heat causing drier grass areas and the unpredictable nature of fireworks, Miller said he also advises students to be careful not to start fires.

“You don’t want to light something off and end up shooting off into your neighbor’s house and lighting it on fire,” he said. “You’re held liable in a civil way for all their property that has been damaged.”

In light of the dry conditions, Meridian Township has decided to cancel their firework show.
As a national company founded in Lansing, Conn said before the law, Big Fireworks was disappointed it could not sell a wide range of fireworks.

“We spent a lot of years and a lot of time trying to lobby for the law to be able to be passed,” he said. “It was very exciting for us to finally be able to sell our full line of our great products.”