FAA holding public hearings on SpaceX request to increase launches on South Texas border

McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) -- The Federal Aviation Administration next week is holding four public hearings in South Texas over Space X's request to increase the number of test launches the private company wants to conduct from its Starbase launch site on the Gulf of Mexico.

The FAA is inviting public comment and review of a draft tiered environmental assessment that the regulatory agency has done on SpaceX and its request to boost additional launches and landings of its Starship and Super Heavy spacecrafts from its facility on Boca Chica Beach, Texas.

Space X wants federal approval to launch and land up to 25 Starships annually from its South Texas launch pad, as well as conduct up to 25 landings of its Super Heavy spacecraft every year.

The FAA's assessment will include public feedback into how an increase in these test launches could affect public safety, wind, air and the environment and wildlife, as well as any national security or foreign policy concerns because of its location just miles from the Mexican border, according to the agency.

"The FAA is evaluating SpaceX’s proposal to increase the cadence of the Starship/Super Heavy launch program at the Boca Chica vertical launch area in Cameron County, Texas. SpaceX must obtain new license or modification of their existing vehicle operator license from the FAA to operate Starship/Super Heavy. Issuing a permit or license is considered a major federal action subject to environmental review under NEPA. This tiered EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of activities associated with the federal action of modifying SpaceX’s vehicle operator license," according to the 143 page FAA draft environmental assessment.

"Issuing a permit or license is considered a major federal action subject to environmental review."

FAA Draft Environmental Assessment

The FAA will hold two public hearings 1 to 3 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday at the South Padre Island Convention Center in South Padre Island. On Aug. 15, two more hearings will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT at the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center in Port Isabel.

A virtual public meeting also will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT on on Aug. 20, and registration is required at this Zoom link.

The Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 hearings will be conducted in both English and Spanish.

During the public meetings, the agency will have commenting stations where court reporters will take either written or verbal comments about the plan.

Up to three minutes of oral comments will be accepted per person during the virtual meeting.

The meetings also will provide an overview of SpaceX's request and the agency's evaluation and assessments so far.

This is part of a public commenting period required under federal law, called the National Environmental Policy Act, that requires agencies to consider environmental and health factors that could affect communities and wildlife from proposed projects.

The public commenting period will close on Aug. 29. Comments can be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-2006; or mailed to: Ms. Amy Hanson, SpaceX EA, c/o ICF 1902 Reston Metro Plaza Reston, VA 20190.

Mary Angela Branch, a board member with the nonprofit Save RGV, urges the public to weigh in on the proposal and to voice their concerns, if they have them.

Branch's nonprofit is opposed to any launches by SpaceX so close to Boca Chica Beach, where endangered sea turtles nest, and near South Bay, a protected estuary located at the tip of the Laguna Madre, overlooking South Padre Island.

She says the public needs to hold the FAA accountable to safeguard the public.

"Having these regulatory agencies -- regardless of their partisan appointments or their big lobby kickbacks -- to do the right thing for the people and the climate and the environment. And they haven't done that. And we have been a target. They seem to always target underserved, impoverished, predominantly non English-speaking communities, and that's what we are," Branch told Border Report.

The hearings come as a circuit court in Washington, D.C., earlier this week revoked federal permit approval that had previously been granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal and pipeline to be located the Port of Brownsville, just 5.5 miles from the SpaceX launch site.

Branch says she hopes the FAA will take note of the actions and cautiously scrutinize SpaceX's requests. But she says she doesn't have much faith in the FAA because a full environmental impact statement has never been done on the burgeoning Starbase facility since it started a decade ago.

“It's just heinous, and they've never, ever done a full environmental impact statement since 2014 –10 years later – for a facility that said they were only going to launch the Falcon 9 rockets, kerosene-based Merlin engines, 12 launches a year, and only 180 beach closure hours a year. None of that occurred," Branch said.

After setting its sights on South Texas, SpaceX pivoted from one rocket system to building a much larger one -- Starship, and its Super Heavy rocket. The spacecraft stands 40 stories tall and the company is trying to position it to haul material, and one day people, to the moon and Mars.

Starbase now has thousands of employees, two high office towers, restaurants and even a school, plus several housing units and trailers located on the sprawling and growing complex.

Earlier this week, SpaceX announced it was preparing for an upcoming fifth test launch of its Starship spacecraft and said it intends to fly the Super Heavy booster back to the launch site. But warned "the rocket's return will be accompanied by a sonic boom. We’re spreading awareness of the potential for residents to hear the boom" according to a statement the company sent media.

SpaceX said the rocket booster will slow down from supersonic speeds, "resulting in audible sonic booms in the area around the return location approximately 7 to 9 minutes after launch. ... Residents in the surrounding area may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing attempt, although what residents’ experience will depend on distance from the launch site, weather conditions and other factors."

There is no date yet set for the test launch and the company says it is awaiting regulatory approval.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.