Notice and Opportunity to Comment on Requests for Consistency
Agreement/Concurrence Under the Texas Coastal Management Program
On January 10, 1997, the State of Texas received federal approval of the Coastal Management Program (CMP) (62 Federal Register pp. 1439 - 1440). Under federal law, federal agency activities and actions affecting the Texas coastal zone must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies identified in 31 TAC Chapter 26. Requests for federal consistency review were deemed administratively complete for the following project(s) during the period of August 18, 2025 to September 4, 2025. As required by federal law, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the consistency of proposed activities in the coastal zone undertaken or authorized by federal agencies. Pursuant to 31 TAC §§30.20(f), 30.30(h), and 30.40(e), the public comment period extends 30 days from the date published on the Texas General Land Office web site. The notice was published on the web site on Friday, September 12, 2025. The public comment period for this project will close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
Federal License and Permit Activities:
Applicant: Space Exploration Technologies, Inc
Location: The project site is located in Boca Chica at the approximately 55-acre Starbase Launch Area directly south of State Highway 4, in Starbase, Cameron County, Texas. The proposed mitigation bank (SWG-2025-00405) is located within South Bay directly north of Starbase, Cameron County, Texas.
Latitude and Longitude:
Project Location: 25.996241, -97.154774
Mitigation Bank: 26.002666, -97.192311
Project Description: The purpose of the proposed Project is to expand the existing launch pad and infrastructure at the Starbase Launch Area to support Starship/Super Heavy vehicle and pad upgrades, increased launch cadence, and to provide rapidly reusable launch and landing infrastructure. The applicant proposes to construct an approximately 21-acre infrastructure expansion to support the existing Starbase Launch Area. The proposed infrastructure would result in permanent impacts to approximately 5.80 acres of emergent wetland and approximately 9.65 acres of wind-tidal flats for a total of 18.15 acres. The proposed infrastructure would consist of a new controlled access entrance road, launch infrastructure components which may include test/staging pads, water and propellant storage, isolation and purging facilities, support equipment staging, blast walls, and internal roadways. Silt fencing would be installed around the permitted limits of disturbance to minimize erosion and sedimentation impacts to receiving waters and to ensure construction equipment remains within the permitted Project limits. The Project would make use of existing impervious areas to the extent practicable when staging construction equipment.
The applicant proposes to mitigate for the proposed impacts by purchasing compensatory mitigation credits from the proposed Rockhands Mitigation Bank (SWG-2025-00405). The proposed Rockhands Mitigation Bank is in the Prospectus Phase of mitigation bank development and is anticipated to have a sufficient number of credits available by early 2026. The Applicant proposes to offset aquatic resource losses resulting from the Project at a 1:1 credit-to-impact ratio. To the extent available, in-kind credits would be purchased to offset losses resulting from the Project. Should sufficient in-kind credits not be available for purchase from the Rockhands Mitigation Bank, the applicant proposes to purchase out-of-kind credits at a 1.5:1 credit to impact ratio.
Type of Application: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit application SWG-2012-00381. This application will be reviewed pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Note: The consistency review for this project may be conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as part of its certification under §401 of the Clean Water Act.
CMP Project No: 25-1275-F1
Further information on the applications listed above, including a copy of the consistency certifications or consistency determinations for inspection, may be obtained from the Texas General Land Office Public Information Officer at 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, or via email at pialegal@glo.texas.gov. Comments should be sent to the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program Coordinator at the above address or via email at federal.consistency@glo.texas.gov.