Rockets or refuge? SpaceX’s potential plans raise concerns in coastal Louisiana
A major announcement is expected Tuesday
PECAN ISLAND, La. (WVUE) — Residents in coastal Vermilion Parish expect to learn this week whether SpaceX is landing in Louisiana.
According to The Advocate, Gov. Jeff Landry will announce Tuesday that SpaceX plans to build a multibillion-dollar spaceport near Pecan Island.
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Residents near the potential 130,000-acre rocket facility and blast site say no one has asked what they want for the land bordering their multigenerational land. They say the area is one of the last swaths of undeveloped marsh along Louisiana’s coast and serves as a critical flyway for migratory birds.
David Benoit, who regularly visits Pecan Island from his nearby home, said, “Everybody here is just lost because there’s nobody talking about it. They don’t know what’s going to take place.”
Jan Moller, CEO of Invest in Louisiana, a policy research and advocacy nonprofit, said the secrecy surrounding the project sets a dangerous precedent.
“The big thing here is we don’t know much about this. That is exactly by design,” Moller said. “Everybody who knows anything about this project, including elected officials who are supposed to represent their constituents, have been sworn to secrecy. They’ve been asked to sign NDAs where they are not allowed under penalty of law to say anything about this project or its impact on this area.”
State officials have targeted aerospace and defense as priority industries without explicitly mentioning SpaceX or its CEO, Elon Musk.
During a May news conference at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said, “We want to make sure that Louisiana is positioned to compete and win for projects just as Texas, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi are.”
In early August, Landry was asked directly about rumors of SpaceX development. He said, “Any company that wants to come and do business and wants to sit at the table and participate in helping Louisianians move the state forward, we’re all for it, especially if you’re going to create great-paying jobs.”
This spring, a package of bills passed during the regular legislative session laid the groundwork to protect major aerospace development in Louisiana, including SpaceX. The bills were signed into law in May and June and took effect immediately.
Among them, House Bill 1098, or Act 874, by Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, shields the potential project from public complaints and damage claims. Under the new law, any aerospace entity occupying more than 20,000 acres is immune from noise or nuisance complaints, sonic boom intrusions or other disturbances resulting from aerospace flight activities.
House Bill 1179, or Act 102, by Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, exempts aerospace manufacturing facilities from certain property taxes, while House Bill 1071, or Act 101, also by McFarland, shields aerospace companies from public records laws.
Benoit said, “It’s about a dollar. So, you’re going to sell out the marsh. We’re going to sell out the people, and there’s no consequence.” He added that many in the area feel no amount of money is worth trading their refuge for SpaceX’s rockets.
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