Right now, the Army Corps of Engineers is taking public comments until September 25, 2025, for SpaceX’s permit application to destroy 21 acres of wetlands to build out its launchpad on our Boca Chica beach. Here’s the Army Corps of Engineers public notice and SpaceX’s plans with more info. Please email a comment to the Army Corps of Engineers by the deadline! Instructions below:
Why is this terrible?
SpaceX wants a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to destroy 21 more acres of pristine wetlands to build up their launch pad and increase the number of unnecessary rocket launches. This is all part of Elon Musk’s ongoing takeover of our beach, a region sacred to the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas. If this launch pad is expanded further, it would result in increased toxic pollution, including leaks from storage tanks and industrialization, on our pristine Boca Chica beach, where people fish, hike, and swim, and sea turtles lay their eggs. If this launch pad expands, it will increase the harm to our neighbors in Mexico and on Playa Baghdad.
How to make a public comment:
Please go online to this website: https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs/public-notices and type in “SpaceX” in the search bar. Then click the speech bubble 💬 to submit a comment on permit number SWG-2012-00381. Make sure to include the permit number SWG-2012-00381 in your comment to the Army Corps.
- If you have trouble using the Army Corps website, please feel free to email us your comment, and we will submit it on your behalf. Email to bekah@sotxejn.org.
Edit the sample letter as you wish – the more you can put it into your own words, the more effective it will be!
| Comment on Permit Application no: SWG-2012-00381 To the Army Corps of Engineers: I am writing in opposition to SpaceX permit no: SWG-2012-00381 because the proposed expansion of the launch pad would destroy wetlands, harm wildlife, and the explosive rocket launches threaten the public’s safety. I urge you to reject this permit for SpaceX. I also request that the Army Corps of Engineers host a public hearing in the South Texas region with Spanish interpretation and translate all materials for the permit application into Spanish to inform the public about the facility’s proposed activity. Additionally, I demand that the Army Corps of Engineers consult with the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas before making any decision on the permit application. Sincerely, [First Name] [Last Name] [Email Address] [City] [Zipcode] [County] |
More background:
For years, SpaceX has repeatedly applied for permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to destroy wetlands on Boca Chica beach. And the Rio Grande Valley community has fought back every step of the way. In 2023, members of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network and the Tribe met with members of the Army Corps of Engineers staff at their office in the Pentagon and again via conference call to discuss the risks and harms of rocket launches, as well as to oppose the permits for SpaceX. In 2024, we collaborated with environmental attorneys to file a letter of complaint and opposition to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding SpaceX’s permit application to destroy wetlands for the construction of the second launch pad on Boca Chica Beach.
When it comes to regulations and permit reviews, the Army Corps of Engineers is essentially a black box. The Army Corps has never hosted a single public hearing for the Rio Grande Valley community about these permits for SpaceX. The Corps doesn’t issue public notices in Spanish. They don’t post the comments they’ve received from the public. They rubber-stamp permit approvals for SpaceX and other dangerous industries like fossil fuel corporations. However, we must continue to urge them to consult with the community and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe, and send our opposition. We won’t back down.
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