Target: Brian Nesvik, Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Goal: Do not hand over hundreds of acres of protected land to SpaceX.
A portion of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the moon, leaving the planetary satellite with debris the equivalent of a five-story building. While Elon Musk’s space exploration entity has become infamous for its space junk, residents of Texas are worried about an environmental threat closer to home. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced plans to give Musk and SpaceX over 700 acres of land in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
The land would be used for rocket launches, which critics claim have already caused damage to the area. Previous launches have reportedly caused discharges of industrial wastewater numbering in the tens of thousands of gallons. These discharges alone have led to hefty fines levied against SpaceX and its leaders. And the habitats of these wetlands’ inhabitants – including the nests of vulnerable shorebirds – have also incurred irreversible destruction. In addition, because of a lack of protective measures SpaceX has allegedly failed to put in place (routine for most rocket launches), damaging debris is reportedly rampant in nearby marshes and dunes.
If SpaceX’s footprint expands into the refuge, the harm would likely be immediate. One of the many environmental groups suing to halt the planned sale stated the following: “our protected public lands are being gifted for the benefit of the world’s richest man, who could trash them while playing with his exploding rockets.” According to the lawsuit, this transaction would violate several environmental laws. Local residents have filed a separate lawsuit alleging intrusive noise pollution.
Sign the petition below to join them in condemning this destructive land grab.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Nesvik,
The tit-for-tat mitigation bank approach used to sign off on environmental destruction cannot continue. Transactions such as the one this agency has proposed with SpaceX regarding the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge will not offset the widespread violation of federal environmental protection laws, the protests of impacted communities both inside and outside the courtroom, or the damage done to the hundreds of vulnerable species in the line of fire. And SpaceX’s continued failures to address the issues driving its environmental degradation (such as faulty water deluge system discharges) – issues for which the company has been penalized by the Environmental Protection Agency — will certainly not remedy the problem.
Before this case makes its way through the courts, truly listen to the concerns and delay a deal that could adversely impact the quality of life for Texans and the state’s irreplaceable wildlife.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: SpaceX
