Judge refuses to block SpaceX land swap in Texas wildlife refuge

A federal judge on Monday refused to block the Trump administration from giving SpaceX more than 700 acres of wildlife refuge in Texas as part of a land swap, while environmental groups vowed to continue their legal challenge.

US District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr declined the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the parcel exchange, saying they had failed to prove it would worsen ecological risks to a Gulf Coast region already transformed by billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket operations.

In June, the US Fish and Wildlife Service approved moving forward with the deal, under which SpaceX would surrender 683 acres it owns in exchange for federal land in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The 103,000-acre refuge spans four counties along the Texas border and is home to animal habitats and historical landmarks. Maps show the land SpaceX would acquire would sit closer to the company’s launchpad near the US-Mexico border.

The Center for Biological Diversity, which filed the lawsuit alongside tribal groups, accused the administration of “gifting” public lands to SpaceX. Its spokesperson Laiken Jordahl said the swap amounted to “clearing the way for bulldozers to tear into this wildlife refuge as soon as next week and turn a public treasure into a private payday”, adding: “This court order is not the final word… We won’t stop fighting to keep this irreplaceable public wildlife refuge safe from SpaceX bulldozers.”

According to Bloomberg Law, Judge Rodriguez — a Trump appointee — also found the groups likely lacked standing, noting the land is already closed to the public. He ruled that a preliminary injunction “would impose uncertainty into and would result in modifications to SpaceX’s development plans, placing additional hardship on the company’s ability to meet milestones and contractual obligations.” SpaceX and the Interior Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sources

• The Guardian: “US judge declines to block transfer of wildlife refuge land to Musk’s SpaceX” (21 September 2026) — https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/21/judge-spacex-wildlife-refuge-musk
• Associated Press (via Akron News Reporter): “Judge won’t block Trump administration from giving SpaceX acres of wildlife refuge in land swap” (21 September 2026) — https://www.akronnewsreporter.com/2026/09/21/spacex-texas/
• Bloomberg Law: “Musk’s SpaceX, Trump Administration May Proceed With Land Swap” (21 September 2026) — https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/musks-spacex-trump-administration-may-proceed-with-land-swap