The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorized a land swap deal with SpaceX, granting Elon Musk’s rocket company 43 acres of highly sought-after land as part of its conservation efforts in the area.
On Monday, the commission announced it had authorized the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to take action Land swap agreement reached with SpaceXwhich would give the state about 477 acres near the Bahia Grande Unit of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for the company receiving about 43 acres in Boca Chica State Park.
TPWD reportedly voted on the deal at a meeting in Austin where most speakers opposed the land swap texas tribune. “This land is our ancestral land. These lands were my people’s fishing areas,” Juan Mancias, tribal chairman of the Estokin Tribal Nation of Texas, quoted in According to the Texas Tribune. “If you look at us, it’s like we don’t exist, and here we are.”
The meeting lasted four hours but the decision was tabled despite public misgivings.The decision was originally scheduled for a vote on January 25, but Delay The agency received more than 1,039 comments opposing the land swap and only 263 supporting it.
According to TPWD agenda: “This acquisition will create opportunities to expand public access and recreation in the area and enable TPWD to protect and manage the property’s diverse habitats, which include lomas, coastal prairie and wetlands.”
However, local environmentalists worry that the land swap could pose a threat to conservation efforts in the area because species listed under the Endangered Species Act take over surrounding wildlife habitat.
Early 2022, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigation According to reports, the number of snowy plover and piping plover (two shorebirds) has dropped sharply near the SpaceX base. The FWS also noted that if SpaceX expands its launch site, it could have negative environmental impacts on several species of sea turtles, as well as other shorebirds such as red-bellied shorebirds.
Others reportedly wanted to bid on the 477 acres of coastal habitat for conservation work before the land swap deal was proposed, but may not be able to match SpaceX’s offer. san antonio express news.
on the other hand, The deal is backed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Chairman Jeffrey Hildebrandwho made it public Announce He promised to complete the matter at the January 24 meeting. “I’m committed to moving this forward and getting the deal done,” Hilderbrand, founder of Hilcorp Energy, one of the largest U.S. oil and gas companies, said at the time.
SpaceX recently Announce There are plans to build a restaurant and a shopping center near the company’s spaceport facility in South Texas. The company may also be looking to expand its launch pad in preparation for regular orbital flights of its giant rocket Starship, for which it is currently preparing for its third test flight.
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