Monica Chavez BROWNSVILLE- A work session originally set for Jan. 24 to decide the exchange of land between SpaceX and Texas Parks and Wildlife was postponed to allow for public notice and comment.
“The SpaceX case is a litmus test of how the valley will handle controversies that will certainly come in the future” said Garcia.
The Texas parks and wildlife commission directed staff to withdraw agenda item number 14, involving the swap of approximately 477-acres near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife refuge Bahia Grande unit for about in exchange for 43- non-contiguous acres at Boca Chica state park and rescheduled it to facilitate an extended period for public notice and comment.
Some professors argue a deal like this requires the public’s opinion.
Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Community Resilience Research, Innovation and Advocacy at UTRGV conducts research on the link between humans and the environment, to answer questions like—how does the behavior of private and public organizations affect citizens’ well-being?
Specifically, how the behavior of both private and public organizations impacts citizens’ well-being.
Garcia said both public and private institutions must improve their efforts of community inclusion to address environmental concerns.
“And one of the only places where that occurs is in spaces for public discussion, in spaces for deliberation, where different views of the same thing can converge. So that we make sure that one view does not squash another view, that views come to the table equally with an equal space for deliberation, and that is through collaboration. The SpaceX case is a litmus test of how the valley will handle controversies that will certainly come in the future” said Garcia.
Executive director of business development for the America’s additive foundry at the UTRGV center, Mostafa Malki emphasizes the need to weigh out potential negative environmental impact costs and overall benefits.
“These are industries of the future. This is where we are headed. I mean, we can either, you know, get in the way of progress and remain behind and lagging in every other way. These people that are getting these jobs and earning that money are going to spend the money in the community. So it is important to, you know, to do analysis and to understand the costs of these decisions that we are, you know, that are being proposed” said Malki.
The TPWD official meeting statement said, and I quote said: “While still under consideration, the potential land exchange could provide mutual benefits.”
The next work session for settling the exchange is scheduled for March 27-28.
We reached out to SpaceX for comment but have yet to receive a response.
