SpaceX land swap: Judge declines to block wildlife refuge transfer

A federal judge has declined to block a land swap between the Trump administration and SpaceX, which involves transferring more than 700 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to the company. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. denied a request for a preliminary injunction, stating that plaintiffs failed to prove the exchange would increase ecological risks to the Gulf Coast region.

The deal, approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in June, involves SpaceX surrendering 683 acres it currently owns in exchange for federal land. The acquired parcel is located closer to the company’s launchpad near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity and various tribal groups, have filed lawsuits to halt the exchange. Spokesperson Laiken Jordahl criticized the swap as a “private payday” that threatens the spiritual, historical, and conservation value of the 103,000-acre refuge. Despite the court's ruling, opponents have vowed to continue their legal challenges.