Texas regulators canceled a public hearing this week on a pending wastewater permit for SpaceX’s Starbase launch site, which has sparked controversy over alleged harms to wetlands and the fragile ecosystem nearby.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is considering a request from SpaceX to discharge treated wastewater into Texas’ South Bay, the southernmost bay in the state, from its launch site in Cameron County.
The company run by Elon Musk released tens of thousands of gallons wastewater, known as “deluge” water, during several rocket launches in 2023 and 2024 without proper authorization, polluting surrounding wetlands, according to an EPA order from this year. The company agreed to pay a civil penalty of $148,378 and applied for the permit under the Clean Water Act in July.
The commission did not give a reason for canceling the meeting but said in a notice Friday that it would be rescheduled “for a later date.” It comes as Musk has emerged as an influential figure in President-elect Donald Trump’s orbit.
