SpaceX Petitions Cameron County to Incorporate Starbase as City Amid Environmental Concerns

Dec 13, 2024, 03:21 AM

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has initiated a formal process to incorporate its Starbase site in South Texas into an official city. The company sent a letter to Cameron County officials requesting an election to turn the area, known as Starbase, into a new city in the Rio Grande Valley. This move aims to support the expansion of the workforce needed for the rapid development and manufacturing of SpaceX's Starship rockets. The Starbase site, located on Boca Chica Beach near the Mexican border, currently employs over 3,400 full-time SpaceX employees and contractors. Despite the company's growth, SpaceX has faced opposition from local environmental groups, with a lawsuit filed in July alleging environmental violations. However, SpaceX maintains that state assessments have found no environmental risks associated with its activities.