New Braunfels Fighting Over Beer Can Ban On Rivers

NEW BRAUNFELS (AP) -- Ban the can, or can the ban?

That's what New Braunfels voters were deciding Tuesday after a new ordinance prohibiting beer cans and other disposable containers on the Guadalupe and Comal rivers -- two popular Texas getaways during the scorching summers -- riled partygoers and set off a backlash led by local businesses.

The ballot referendum will either uphold or reject a ban passed in August by the New Braunfels City Council. Supporters say the ban is needed to protect the rivers from trash, while opponents argue the measure will drive away tourists and be a drag on the local economy.

The issue has divided New Braunfels and attracted unusually high voter turnout. More than 5,000 residents cast their ballot in early voting -- double the votes cast in May when three city council seats were up for grabs.

The referendum was forced by river businesses that rely on the throngs of tourists, nearby college students and families who reliably flock to New Braunfels each summer and cool off by tubing down the river. Many people often rent separate tubes simply so their beer-stocked coolers can float alongside them.

Supporters of the ban, including New Braunfels Mayor Gale Pospisil, have built their campaign around claims that the rivers are choked with upward of 700,000 gallons of waste annually.

Opponents say the ban is a veiled attempt by the city to keep away rowdy partygoers and ban alcohol on the rivers, which is a decision only the state can make.

The ban would take effect Jan. 1. Under the ordinance, violators could be fined upward of $500 for having disposable containers on the river.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)