Жители Луизианы возмущены отсутствием информации о проекте SpaceX на их острове

Some Pecan Island residents complain they were left in the dark about SpaceX project The company vows it’s committed to helping restore Louisiana’s coast VERMILION PARISH, La. — Jr. Vaughn has lived on Pecan Island since 1964, about six miles from the planned $100 billion SpaceX launch site. “Peace and quiet. That’s all we want,” Vaughn said. His daughter, Crystal Mhire, said residents of the small community southwest of Lafayette were left in the dark about the company’s plans. “Facebook, of course, I get so upset when I open that because people that’s not from here is putting how they’re all upset about duck leases and everything. You have not heard one person say, ‘What about the people of Pecan Island?’” Mhire said. Mhire said outsiders have mocked the size of the community. “You have people making fun, ‘Oh, there’s 150 camps here.’ There’s at least 100 people that live here. People that does not have camps,” Mhire said. When asked if anyone had reached out to discuss the plans with her, Mhire said no one had. SpaceX views the remote area along the coast as ideal. Dubbed “Starbase Louisiana,” the site will occupy a portion of the 125,000 acres of marsh. A company video, played before a group of business and political leaders in Abbeville, described the site as one of the few places on Earth as suitable for space launches. “Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth,” said Musk on the social media platform X. Vaughn said he was concerned the project could impact the area’s wildlife. Tens of thousands of ducks and snow geese winter in the marshes near Pecan Island, and the area is a stop for migrating birds. David Benoit questioned how wildlife rules would apply to the company’s operations. “Let me go shoot a whooping crane. Oh, let me catch one fish over the limit. You’re in trouble. But yet, they can kill all the wildlife around,” Benoit said. SpaceX officials point out launches and nature have coexisted elsewhere. The Kennedy Space Center in Florida is adjacent to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which supports among the highest numbers of endangered and threatened species of any refuge in the system. SpaceX President Gwen Shotwell addressed concerns about wildlife during launches. “Now the birds might fly away during a launch, but I guarantee they come back,” Shotwell said. Shotwell said Vermilion Parish is losing up to 23 feet of shoreline per year. She said the company is partnering with the state to expand its coastal master plan to help the land survive. “Left alone, the shoreline will continue to erode, and basically, eliminate that beauty that we have today,” Shotwell said. Shotwell said the projects would include shoreline protection, marsh restoration and wildlife conservation. Critics said they are concerned about a proposed FAA rule that would exempt commercial space permits from 13 federal environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Clean Water Act. “This, right here, we’re going to see what’s going to happen,” Vaughn said. “If they break my windows, I’ll replace them because I’m not moving.” See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline. Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel. Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.