Five Environmental and Cultural Heritage Groups Sue FAA Over SpaceX’s Launch of Starship Super Heavy Rocket from Boca Chica Facility

Five environmental and cultural heritage groups are suing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over the launch of SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy rocket from its Boca Chica, Texas facility last month. The lawsuit, filed in a district court in Washington D.C. on Monday, alleges that the FAA violated the National Environment Policy Act by allowing the launch without a comprehensive environmental review.

The launch of the largest rocket ever built from the Boca Chica facility resulted in the destruction of the launch pad, with chunks of concrete and metal sheets hurled thousands of feet away. The explosion also spread particulate matter including pulverized concrete for miles and sparked a 3.5-acre fire on state park lands near the launch site.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include The Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Wild Whoopers, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and the National Audubon Society. An attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity said the groups are suing over what they consider to be the FAA’s failure to fully consider the environmental impacts of the Starship program near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas.

The FAA has yet to comment on the lawsuit. SpaceX has said that it is committed to environmental stewardship and that it is working with local, state, and federal agencies to ensure the safety of the local environment. It remains to be seen how the lawsuit will affect SpaceX’s plans for future launches from the Boca Chica facility.