The thought of large explosives near even larger vats of accelerant, like methane, would trouble anyone who isn’t a pyromaniac or a fool. The residents of the Rio Grande Valley are neither, and so are troubled at the dangerous facilities being planned in their community. Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to continue launching the largest rocket in human history – the Starship/Superheavy, up to 25 times per year, just 6 miles away from two proposed export terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG), a highly flammable substance. For the Port Isabel, Laguna Vista, Long Island Village, South Padre Island, Laguna Heights, and Brownsville communities within a 6-mile radius of LNG and SpaceX, ‘too close for comfort’ only scratches the surface of their opposition to these projects.
For years, Rio Grande Valley residents have raised the alarm that six massive storage tanks containing highly flammable methane gas have no place near SpaceX rockets that are frequently blasting off. And these risks have gone unaddressed by regulators. These regulators have also not consulted with the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas about building LNG facilities and SpaceX on lands and sites sacred to the Tribe. To make matters worse, both LNG and SpaceX have a history of explosions that have harmed the community or destroyed property. SpaceX rocket testing has shaken homes more than 20 miles away or shattered windows about 10 miles away in the Rio Grande Valley. According to reporting by Texas Public Radio, the SpaceX rocket explosion in April 2023 sent rocket debris into Port Isabel and South Padre Island, and the debris field included the LNG sites. LNG explosions do occur. One LNG explosion, in Freeport, TX, caused a blast that shook community members’ homes in Freeport and nearby Quintana Beach. According to Bloomberg News, “the company estimates 1.6 million cubic feet of natural gas was burned during the fire,” releasing tons of toxic pollution into the air. Deeper investigations by community members exposed that multiple beachgoers were injured from the blast, including a toddler. The facility was plagued by short staffing, overworked employees, alarm fatigue, and a string of safety incidents. An LNG and SpaceX explosion risk is the last thing we need in the Rio Grande Valley, a low-income community with little healthcare access and a small fire department.
“Long Island Village is just over a mile from the proposed Texas LNG site and would be in the LNG export terminal’s safety evacuation zone. I am a retired fire captain, and I know our local volunteer fire departments are not equipped to handle LNG blowouts or explosions; we can only evacuate residents. Why are they forcing our communities to live near industrial fossil fuel facilities with overlapping hazard zones and the possibility of a massive explosion from SpaceX’s rockets? All of our communities are opposed to LNG, we don’t want this,”
– Ed McBride, a Long Island Village resident and retired Fire Chief.
The Rio Grande Valley residents and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas have all taken a stand against LNG. The Port Isabel, Laguna Vista, South Padre Island, and Long Island Village communities have all passed city resolutions opposing LNG. Forcing these residents to live each day near LNG terminals, which they do not want, is unreasonable. Adding this to an explosive SpaceX launch site that could also put their lives in danger– is appalling. All Valley residents must urge regulatory agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), financial institutions, insurance companies, and elected officials to address the explosion risks and withdraw their support for SpaceX and LNG. These regulators, officials, and financial institutions must listen to those concerns and stop construction or deny the permits of facilities that cannot prove common-sense safety standards.
Please write a letter urging Brownsville and Cameron County elected officials, financial institutions, and insurance companies to address the explosion risks of LNG and SpaceX and drop their support for these dangerous industries.
Sample letter to reference:
I urge elected officials, insurance companies, regulators, and financial institutions to address the explosion and safety risks associated with Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket launching facility and the three proposed LNG projects: Rio Grande LNG, Texas LNG, and the Rio Bravo Pipeline. These projects are co-located or plan to be co-located within a 6-mile radius, launching 25 Starship/SuperHeavy rockets per year near six storage tanks and tanker ships of flammable methane gas. This is an unnecessary explosion threat to the City of Port Isabel, South Padre Island, and Brownsville, as well as the wildlife habitats and sacred lands of the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas. For these reasons, I urge you to weigh these safety risks and drop your support for LNG and SpaceX.