Local organizations sue TPWD for land swap with SpaceX

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) —Multiple Rio Grande Valley organizations have sued Texas Parks and Wildlife for their Boca Chica land swap with SpaceX.

The South Texas Environmental Justice Network, Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas and Save RGV are suing the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for its decision to swap 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park land to SpaceX, in exchange for 477 acres of land that the corporation does not own.

The lawsuit was filed on April 3 in Travis County by Lawyer Marisa Perales, who is representing the organizations.

Christopher Basaldu, a member of STEJN explained his issues with the land swap.

“We think that SpaceX is trying to take over the entire area because it perceives the land to be empty, but the land is empty because the community wants it to remain beautiful because wildlife depends on it remaining unpolluted," said Basaldu.

Basaldu expressed that locals feel unrepresented in the matter and added that his organization sees the acquisition of land as illegitimate on the federal level.

“Texas Parks and Wildlife wants to surrender about these land swap these 43 acres. Well, they don't own those acres anyway, that land is supposed to be under the authority of United States, Fish and Wildlife.”

Basaldu is also a member of the Carrizo-Comecrudo Tribe, another organization involved in the lawsuit.

He and the tribe especially oppose their presence, seeing SpaceX’s launches as destructive to land they consider sacred.

“The river itself is our sacred spirit river. It's literally the source of life because it still is the source of drinking water for the area.”

We reached out to the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, but they provided no comment.