SpaceX finds itself in hot water once again, as the company continues a pattern of operating under the mantra of "it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission."
What's happening?
CNBC reports that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued a notice of violation to the Elon Musk-led company this summer for releasing pollutants into or near bodies of water in Texas.
The specific violations pertain to four instances between March and July of this year when SpaceX allegedly discharged industrial wastewater without a permit. The saga connects to past launches of the company's ambitious Starship rocket project and its use of an unpermitted water deluge system, according to CNBC.
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SpaceX disputed the report and claimed in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that their discharges cause "no harm to the environment." Observers are skeptical. Kenneth Teague, a coastal ecologist, told CNBC that SpaceX's permit application, which was submitted about 80 days late, indicated "very large exceedances of the mercury water quality criteria."
Why is SpaceX's apparent disregard for the rules significant?
The rules and regulations around wastewater discharges are designed to protect fish, wildlife, and humans. Mercury, in particular, is "extremely poisonous" and "absorbed easily into the food chain," according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Additionally, Teague points out that high temperature and mercury discharges pose a "very serious concern" for wildlife critical to the ecosystem, including critters and seabirds.
This isn't the first time SpaceX has run afoul of the rules. Investigators accuse the company of a consistent pattern of ignoring regulations and permitting procedures from the TCEQ and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for over a year, CNBC reports.
SpaceX's apparent disregard for the local environment comes with dire consequences. For instance, the first failed Starship launch burned four acres of a nearby Texas state park and incinerated local wildlife. The second launch damaged 11 acres of sensitive sand dunes that are critical to endangered shorebirds, according to MySanAntonio.com.
What's being done about SpaceX's violations?
The biggest thing these violations can do is push the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) into halting future SpaceX launches.
Until the company complies with state and federal laws, the FAA can exert its leverage to ground the launches. Hefty fines like the FAA's recent ones for SpaceX's safety violations are another option for the agency or others to use as a deterrent.
There is healthy skepticism that SpaceX will change anything without action from the FAA. Environmental engineer Eric Roesch told MSNBC that the company continues to commit wastewater violations "seemingly with the FAA's blessing."
At the minimum, SpaceX's water deluge system should be subject to the proper permitting process before another rocket launches with potentially devastating consequences for the local environment.
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