California officials rejected SpaceX’s plans to launch rockets from the state’s central coast, citing Elon Musk’s political posts on X.

The California Coastal Commission rejected the U.S. Air Force’s plans that permitted SpaceX to launch up to 50 rockets per year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County.

“Even our state governments have now been weaponized against free speech,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reacted.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Members of the California Coastal Commission commended Space Force and Air Force representatives for reaching an agreement, but some cited their concerns about Musk, the owner of SpaceX, before rejecting the plan.

Among the issues raised were Musk’s decision to insert himself in the presidential race, his spreading of conspiracy theories, the labor record of his companies and derogatory comments he has made about the transgender community.

“We’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race,” commission Chair Caryl Hart said.

Military officials argue that launches by SpaceX, a leading contractor at Vandenberg Space Force Base, should be considered a federal activity because all of its launches benefit military objectives, regardless of whether the payloads being carried by the rockets are for the government or for Musk’s private satellite internet company, Starlink.

“Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help the hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet,” Commissioner Gretchen Newsom said, according to POLITICO.

“@elonmusk’s personal political views should play no role in the California Coastal Commission’s evaluation of @SpaceX’s plans to launch rockets in the state. The commission’s objections are non-binding, but its members appear to be pushing for greater oversight over the company at least in part due to Musk’s politics. While the commission can consider the nature of SpaceX’s activities and their environmental impact, the First Amendment forbids government agencies from leveraging regulatory power to stifle protected speech,” FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) wrote.

“That was true when Florida’s government punished Disney for opposing Gov. Ron DeSantis’s education policies, it was true when a New York agency leaned on insurance companies to cut ties with the NRA because of its political advocacy, and it’s true here. No matter the politics at issue, regulatory oversight isn’t a blank check for censorship,” it added.

POLITICO reports:

The agency’s commissioners, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, voted 6-4 to reject the Air Force’s plan over concerns that all SpaceX launches would be considered military activity, shielding the company from having to acquire its own permits, even if military payloads aren’t being carried.

“I do believe that the Space Force has failed to establish that SpaceX is a part of the federal government, part of our defense,” said Commissioner Dayna Bochco.

Space Launch Delta 30, which oversees military launch operations on the West Coast, said in a statement after the meeting that the Air Force has worked closely with commission staff on environmental protection issues and will continue to do so.

“Today’s vote hasn’t changed the [Department of the Air Force] or Vandenberg’s unwavering commitment to preserving the California coastline and the precious species that reside there,” said Ravi Chaudhary, the Air Force’s assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment. “The Space Force’s dedication to collaboration here is in many ways unprecedented — so is our commitment to ensuring dialogue continues.”

The Coastal Commission, known for its sharp-elbowed defense of public access to the state’s 840-mile coastline, has been sparring with the Air Force’s Space Force branch since May 2023, when DOD asked to increase SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 per year.

 

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