Key Takeaways:
- Elon Musk moved his businesses to Boca Chica, Texas, in 2021.
- Local residents are upset due to disrupted lives and environmental damage.
- Rocket launches have caused earthquakes, burned wilderness, and polluted the area.
- Some locals support the economic boost, while others want Musk gone.
- SpaceX controls access to the beach and has unusual rules for employees.
Boca Chica: A Beach Town Transformed
Boca Chica, once a quiet beach town in Texas, has become a battleground. Tech billionaire Elon Musk moved his businesses, including SpaceX, to this small town in 2021. What followed has left residents furious and divided.
The town sits near the Boca Chica State Park and Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area. It was known as the “poor people’s beach,” where locals and vacationers could relax and enjoy the ocean. But now, life here is very different.
Life Under SpaceX’s Shadow
SpaceX’s Starbase, located near Boca Chica, has become a hub for rocket launches. These launches have caused big problems. Every few months, rockets shake homes as powerfully as small earthquakes. They have burned acres of wild land, shattered windows, and even rained down melted cement.
The beach is no longer easy to visit. SpaceX controls the highway leading to it. The road is often closed, and a strange gold statue of Musk guards the entrance.
But that’s not all. After launches, SpaceX dumps thousands of gallons of used water into the south bay. This has upset residents who want to enjoy the beach.
Disaster in the Skies
The rocket tests have been even more dangerous. In April 2023, a SpaceX Starship test melted the launchpad. It sent a fine cement powder as far as Port Isabel. Some people have even had chunks of cement crash through their windshields.
More recently, two tests this year ended in failure. Rockets exploded over the Caribbean, scattering debris and forcing nearby planes to scramble.
Rancher Rene Medrano, whose land is near the highway, said, “These guys want to go to Mars. Let them go to Mars. The people here want to enjoy the beach. Let us enjoy the beach. This should be open forever.”
A Divided Community
Not everyone is unhappy. SpaceX has brought billions in investments and thousands of jobs. There are 3,400 full-time workers and 21,400 indirect jobs connected to the company.
But for many locals, the cost is too high. Homer Pompa, a Vietnam veteran who lives in an RV, used to love watching the rocket launches. Now, he’s tired of them. “It’s like sex,” he said. “Once you’ve had it, you’ve had it.”
Pompa is worried about losing access to the beach where he’s fished since childhood. The government can seize land using eminent domain, and with SpaceX in charge, he fears the worst.
SpaceX’s Grip on the Town
SpaceX’s control goes beyond the road and beach. Employees face strict rules. For example, one worker’s lease agreement said if he got fired, he had to move out in 10 days.
Joshuah Gardner, a former SpaceX employee, recalls Musk visiting and inspecting airstream trailers. Later that day, dozens of workers were laid off. “A firing also means an eviction,” Gardner said.
Many locals have moved out, and those who remain are worried. “These guys have deep pockets,” one man said, too scared to give his name. “They can make your life pretty miserable.”
A Future in Doubt
The situation in Boca Chica shows the power of big companies. While some see SpaceX as a source of progress and jobs, others feel squeezed out of their own town.
As the rockets keep launching and the town changes, one thing is clear: life in Boca Chica will never be the same. Whether locals can reclaim their beach and their peace of mind remains to be seen.
Read the full story here to learn more about the ongoing struggle in South Texas.