FOR PLANNING PURPOSES: March 24, 2025
Contact: Bekah Hinojosa at bekah@sotxejn.org or 956-975-6634
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
Rio Grande Valley Organizations will protest against LNG and SpaceX at the Brownsville State of the City Event
BROWNSVILLE, TX — On Wednesday, the City of Brownsville will host the State of the City event inside the TSC performing arts center, where Mayor Cowen is expected to highlight the city’s support for two highly polluting, controversial industries: SpaceX and Rio Grande LNG. Rio Grande Valley residents and organizations will demonstrate their opposition to these corporations by gathering outside the TSC Performing Arts Center with artistic visuals like banners and signs and to host a speakout. Members of these organizations will also continue to demand that the City of Brownsville immediately cut ties with Rio Grande LNG and all Elon Musk industries and end their corporate sponsorship relationship once and for all.
For years, Rio Grande Valley residents have been outspoken about the environmental risks of LNG and SpaceX operations in the region and have adamantly opposed these corporations’ sponsorship of community events. Last year, the City of Port Isabel, the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe, and residents won a major lawsuit that sent the Rio Grande LNG permit back to the regulator for failing to evaluate the pollution risks to the low-income residents of the Port Isabel area. Despite a lack of a permit, Rio Grande LNG announced plans to expand the proposed facility to process larger quantities of methane gas and emit even more toxic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the region. Elon Musk and SpaceX have also continued to spread toxicity, such as dumping polluted water, scorching the habitat during launches, and Musk’s nazi salute during the presidential inauguration. Sunrise RGV has sent over 10,000 petition signatures urging the City of Brownsville commission to divest from Elon Musk industries. The Mayor of Brownsville has continued to champion these corporations, and his constituents have had enough.
When: Wednesday, March 26, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Where: sidewalk outside the Texas Southmost College Performing Arts Center (90 Taylor Ave Brownsville, TX)
Who: Available to Speak:
Christa Mancias, Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas
Anaid Zapata with Sunrise RGV
Dina Nuñez, South Texas Human Rights Center
Josette Angelique Hinojosa, South Texas Environmental Justice Network
Valley Interfaith
Border Workers United
Background: Residents and organizations from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas have spoken up about the environmental harms of SpaceX operations and LNG in their community. Cameron County has routinely closed beach access for the benefit of SpaceX and to the detriment of the County’s residents, including long-time fisherman families and Indigenous communities for whom the beach is culturally sacred. Rio Grande LNG, if built, would be the biggest polluter of toxic cancer-causing emissions and greenhouse gases in the region.
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