AUSTIN, Texas — Negotiations can begin for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to officially acquire more than 450 acres for a new state park.
In a land swap with SpaceX, TPWD will receive 477 acres near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in exchange for 43 noncontiguous acres from Boca Chica State Park. The process and environmental assessments could take up to 18 months.
According to The Texas Tribune, Monday's TPWD meeting lasted nearly four hours with most speakers opposing the land exchange. TPWD also recently said the exchange won't affect access to the public beach through the park or State Highway 4.
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The land set to be gained by TPWD is viewed as "one of the most biologically diverse regions in North America" and will be used to create a park that allows access to fishing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, hiking, biking and family gatherings as the region develops rapidly.
Meanwhile, the smaller portions of land that will be given to SpaceX do not connect or offer public access to Boca Chica State Park. The land is dotted among private properties or adjacent to SpaceX's facilities. The Texas Tribune requested a comment on what the land would be used for but did not hear back.
Concerns over the land led to a lawsuit after SpaceX's Starship exploded over South Texas in 2023. The FAA said no injuries or public damage were reported after the explosion. But according to The Texas Tribune, residents on Monday said they felt their houses move during the launch while others said debris broke their windows.
In November 2023, Texans approved Proposition 14 to create the Centennial Parks Conversation Fund, which created a dedicated funding stream to acquire and develop state parks by using a portion of the state's budget surplus.
