Advocates say not enough being done to protect environment from SpaceX

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Environmental advocacy groups in the Valley are saying Wednesday's explosion at SpaceX is another example of the harm they see being inflicted on the community by the company.

Bekah Hinojosa, Co-Founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, said Elon Musk is abusing "our low-income community."

"He's blowing up rocket equipment in our community whenever he feels like it," Hinojosa said.

SOTXEJN and other environmental activists tried to visit the explosion site Thursday morning but weren't allowed to get close enough to survey the damage.

“There was a fire truck parked out there. The sheriff said they were waiting for more firetrucks to come. I mean, this is a disaster that’s still unfolding. We’re still seeing how bad it was,” Hinojosa said.

Even though she wasn't permitted to get an up-close look, Hinojosa said the videos circulating of the explosion tell at least part of the story.

Hinojosa said, “It’s clear that they’ve scorched more wildlife habitat. It’s clear that they’ve burned grasses there. That they’re impacting a very important wildlife corridor for endangered and threatened species.”

Hinojosa said she believes there's a lack of oversight from local, state, and federal authorities. She cited the Federal Aviation Administration's decision in May to allow SpaceX to increase its flight schedule to as many as 25 launches per year.

In January, the FAA and SpaceX held an information session in Brownsville at Texas Southmost College. Several attendees called for the federal agency to conduct a complete environmental impact study surrounding the increased flight schedule. The FAA instead released a Tiered Environmental Assessment, which Hinojosa feels falls short of the in-depth review that her group had wanted.

“We need the city and county to actually speak up with our concerns," Hinojosa said, "We need lawmakers to demand that there be a full, thorough review of all of the explosion risks of SpaceX. Because it hasn't happened.”

On Thursday, SpaceX posted an update on its website that reads, in part, "There are no hazards to the surrounding communities in the Rio Grande Valley. Previous independent tests conducted on materials inside Starship, including toxicity analyses, confirm they pose no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks. SpaceX is coordinating with local, state, and federal agencies, as appropriate, on matters concerning environmental and safety impacts."

Michelle Serrano, Co-Director of Voces Unidas, said she wasn't convinced. She said she'd like to see local advocacy groups get the chance to make that determination.

“I really think that it’s a community issue, so they should allow us, the community, to go there and see for ourselves,” Serrano said.

Serrano said that, even before the incident, she didn't feel like enough information had been made available to residents about the environmental impact SpaceX activity was having on the area.

“I really want to be able to see tests. I want to be able to see pH meters. I want to be able to see graphs and charts. I want all of that presented to us as a community, rather than just a letter that says, we’ve decided that it’s safe. That, to me, doesn't speak safety. It speaks corruption. “

This isn't the first time a SpaceX test has ended in an explosion. In July 2022, ground testing caused an explosion that was felt and heard on South Padre Island. Hinojosa said another explosion, like the one Wednesday night, should prompt local officials to heed residents' concerns.

Wednesday's test came as a surprise to community members, not just because of the explosion, but because many Valley residents weren't even aware it was happening. Hinojosa said there was no warning from city or county officials that it was taking place. Both Hinojosa and Serrano told us that State Highway 4, which is closed for launch activities, remained open on Wednesday. Both women say there needs to be better communication about what's happening at SpaceX facilities.