BOCA CHICA, TEXAS

Defenders of Wildlife released the following response to a Coastal Bend & Bay Estuaries Program report that points to shorebird nest losses following the June 6 launch of SpaceX's Starship in Boca Chica. 

This report is the best documentation that exists of the impacts that experimental rockets have on wildlife in Boca Chica,” said Sharon Wilcox, Senior Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “The impacts noted in this report are alarming: threat of wildfire, a growing debris field of projectiles, and damage to shorebird nests. With the increase of launch activity, the degradation to unique habitats and wildlife will also increase. These findings again demonstrate that the environmental assessment that SpaceX operates under is inadequate and requires a full environmental impact statement." 

 

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Femail Wilson's Plover nesting one hour before Starship launch at Starbase on June 6
CBBEP

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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