Two San Diego-based coastal environmental organizations are about to sue SeaWorld for violating its permits which have resulted in polluting Mission Bay with heavy metals from its fireworks and with toxins from its wastewater.
The Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF) and San Diego Coastkeeper (Coastkeeper) have initiated a citizen suit enforcement action against SeaWorld and claim that SeaWorld's unlawful discharges violate two of its Clean Water Act permits. (See below)
The groups charge SeaWorld's 150 fireworks shows a year "discharges plastic caps, wires, trash, and other chemical laden debris into Mission Bay in violation of multiple requirements of the regional Fireworks Permit, and fails to follow its own post-event cleanup protocols. Adding to the list of violations, SeaWorld allows embers, malfunctioning fireworks, wires and ignitors to fall into the bay while still burning."