CALABASAS, Calif. – The California Coastal Commission is again, reviewing a detailed plan relating to present and future launches of Falcon 9 rockets on SpaceX missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This year there have been issues raised beyond what the commission had previously reviewed.
They range from noise impacts, such as sonic booms during some first stage booster landings and also impacts on marine mammals or shore birds on the Central Coast.
The California Coastal Commission is reviewing the frequency of launches and any efforts SpaceX or Vandenberg Space Force Base can add to reduce the impacts or contribute to the community education of commercial space launches.
There are already plans to enhance space education in the Lompoc school district near the campus.
At times the launches force the closure of Jalama Beach County Park, near Vandenberg. The base says it is working to limit those impacts.
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Bob Nelson spoke saying the SpaceX program has been a new economic boost to the area by creating jobs and also a pipeline from local colleges to the space related workforce. "These are our neighbors, our friends, and our family members. A job at SpaceX, a defense contractor or one of the many companies around launch activities represents a golden opportunity. " He said for some it was a financial opportunity beyond the agriculture industry which is a leading employer in the area.
Also speaking in favor of future SpaceX projects and economic benefits were Lompoc Mayor Janelle Osbourne and Mike Stoker with the Santa Barbara County Taxpayer Advocacy Center representing 300 members.
The rocket launches are under federal control but the commission is strongly weighing in on concerns that have been mounting in recent months.
Groups like the Gaviota Coastal Conservancy and Surfrider have been outspoken about impacts they say occur during the launches or the booster return. Some are similar to residents in Santa Barbara and Ventura County who are caught off guard by the launches and vibrations that can occur. Residents as far away as the Ojai Valley have spoken out. Also animal advocates who say their pets have had a negative reaction as well.
Vandenberg spoke saying it has replied in detail to the commission's concerns in many cases. But the Air Force representative did not take questions at the hearing.
"We have followed and often exceeded the coastal zone management process. We have taken the time to respond in order to be diligent but have not been unresponsive to the commission or the staff question," said Col. Dorian Hatcher the Vice Commander at Vandenberg.
Coastal Commission Chair Caryl Hart said, "it is so critically important this area and the risks are so significant, so to blindly brush this aside to not answer questions not engage with us, not conduct monitoring I think it is easy to understand why this commission is expressing, I would put it at a level of outrage that we are expressing here today."
SpaceX was not present and has not been at the meetings this year to speak.
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The Gaviota Coast Conservancy released this statement after the meeting:
Today the California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to conditionally concur in the Consistency Determination for the 36 annual Falcon 9 rocket launches conducted by SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). Although the vote provides a pathway for the 36 annual launches to proceed consistent with applicable laws protecting coastal resources, the Space Force outright rejected three out of the seven required conditions. The three rejected conditions provide for enhanced biological monitoring, analysis, and reporting of impacts associated with launch noise and sonic booms.
GCC supported the conditional concurrence and urged Base leadership and SpaceX to reconsider and accept all conditions. The rejected conditions required biological monitoring that the Commission characterized as standard, entirely reasonable, and plainly required for them to fulfill their statutorily required duties.
The Space Force took the unusual tact of refusing at the outset of the public hearing to take any questions. This – in addition to the fact that SpaceX has yet to appear at any of the Commission hearings despite numerous requests - infuriated Commissioners eager for answers to questions including why the Base and SpaceX did not want to monitor biological resources. Commissioner Bochco likened the Space Force’s behavior to the Navy defying the Coastal Commission by refusing to protect whales from sonar testing. She noted that ultimately the Commission went to court, won, and the Navy changed their ways.
SpaceX will shortly be seeking approvals for an additional increase in annual launches to 50, and to 100 by 2025. It remains to be seen whether Base leadership and SpaceX will ultimately decide to cooperate and accept reasonable conditions on their launch activity. In the meantime Coastal Commission staff is proceeding to evaluate what portions of SpaceX’s activities constitute “development” in the Coastal Zone that would independently require a Coastal Development Permit from the Commission.
We appreciate your dedication to the Gaviota Coast and to the wildlife that may be threatened by inappropriate development activities.
With best regards,
Doug Kern, Gaviota Coast Conservancy
