Environmentalist groups say that Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch site on the Mexico and Texas border is a threat to the local ecosystem and wildlife.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX originally purchased the launch site in Texas where he could safely test and fly rockets for the commercial space program.

David Newstead, director of the nonprofit Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries, said that he felt sick as he saw one of the rockets launched and fall back to earth. It disappeared in a fireball explosion that littered the surrounding area, tearing through the delicate ecosystem and comprising tidal flats, beaches, grasslands, and coastal dunes that host a huge range of wildlife.

The concerns over the climate impact of rocket fuel have already been voiced, but these more recent concerns seem to be more urgent. The land surrounding the rocket launch pad is home to all manner of endangered species and unique wildlife. Though no studies have been done to show the extensive damage to the environment and wildlife, wildlife officials and environmentalists can already see a change.

Jim Blackburn, a professor of environmental law at Rice University, said, “A lot of people think that because we have these laws, the environment is protected, but that’s not how it works. People working on the ground for these agencies are often well-meaning, but if the political will is there to allow a project like SpaceX to go through, that’s what happens.”

There is still no evidence that SpaceX or Musk will be doing anything to address these concerns. The government has also stayed relatively quiet on the matter, making it known that this is not a big concern for them.

Sign this petition to demand that Musk stop threatening the residents and wildlife with the expansion of SpaceX.

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