Spacex can soon control the closure of the public beach in South Texas

The crowded missile launch schedule from Spacex may hinder the beach days. If the company succeeds in converting the launch site into an official city, SpaceX may bear full control of the closure of roads and beach in Boca Chika, Texas.

Texas lawmakers presented legislation that would give satellite officials effectively a single authority to close public roads and beaches near the Starbase launch site in southern Texas to launch missiles, ground tests or other relevant activities during the week, The Houston Chronicle I mentioned. Legislation can become effective depending on the upcoming vote to make a decision Whether you convert Starbase into a city.

Founder of Spacex and CEO Elon Musk For the first time the idea of ​​the city of Star is a base in 2021. In February, Cameron County in Texas agreed to hold elections to allow its residents to vote to establish a new town called Starbase, based on the continuous launch endeavors of Spacex. The elections will be held on May 3, and votes will be made by the population living near Starbase from Spacex. Most of the population are employees in Spacex He submitted a petition in December 2024 to request elections Regarding the decision to make Starbase municipality. This means that voting is likely to go to the missile company.

Now, an additional invoice was presented on March 14 will be given control of Spacex to close roads and beach for their missile activities. Although the draft law, presented by two Republican Senators, does not mention Spacex by name, it refers to the provinces with the satellite address and reaching the beach “on the border with the Gulf of Mexico or the borders of the tidal water”, ” According to To my RGV.

As of now, Cameron County officials are responsible for closing roads and beach. If the draft law is approved, Cameron Province will maintain its authority during the weekend, but Starbase, as its special jurisdiction, will control the days of the week to close roads and public beaches near the launch site. Cameron Province is already closed on Boca Chika Beach during the test and launch of Spacex missiles, which are Starship.

During a public hearing on Wednesday, Senator Adam Hinojosa claimed that the draft law would not increase the frequency of the closure of the beach, but rather “simplifying administrative operations while maintaining local control,” according to the locality. Reports.

However, there is concern that the Spacex launch site harms the surrounding landscape. In July 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservation of American Birds, and other memorization groups A lawsuit was filed against the Federal Aviation AdministrationBased on the pretext that she had rushed Spacex space allowance Without adequate environmental review requirements or mitigation. Spacex also faces fines of about $ 150,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency Allegedly Illegally dumping pollutants in a waterway in Texas without permit.

Earlier last year, also spacex Plans announced To open a 15 million dollar shopping and restaurant near Starbase. The company’s repeated missile launches is already a nuisance for the surrounding environment, and Spacex appears to be more hateful in the area.