New Braunfels Voters Uphold 'Can Ban' On Rivers

NEW BRAUNFELS (AP) - The can has been banned.

New Braunfels voters on Tuesday decided to prohibit beer cans and other disposable containers on the Guadalupe and Comal rivers -- two popular Texas getaways during the scorching summers -- even though the measure riled partygoers and set off a backlash led by local businesses.

The ballot referendum passed with 58 percent of the vote, the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung reported. It upheld a ban passed in August by the New Braunfels City Council. Supporters said the ban was needed to protect the rivers from trash, while opponents argued that the measure would drive away tourists and be a drag on the local economy.

The issue divided New Braunfels, about 30 miles northeast of San Antonio, and attracted unusually high voter turnout. More than 5,000 residents cast their ballots 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.

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

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

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

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