Environmental groups in Brownsville are suing the federal government over a proposed land swap between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and SpaceX.

The lawsuit, obtained by Channel 5 News, claims the proposal violates the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Under the proposed deal, SpaceX would receive 715 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. In exchange, SpaceX would hand over 683 acres of land it owns.

The bulk of the land proposed for the swap is about 3.5 miles from the launch area.

An environmental assessment was completed and published on June 1, 2026. In it, U.S. Fish and Wildlife said the trade would pose "no significant impact."

READ MORE ABOUT THE LAWSUIT HERE

The document outlines affected cultural resources, threatened and endangered species, and changes to habitat and vegetation. Researchers said wetlands, air quality and soils were "found not to be substantially affected or were dismissed from further analysis."

The document also states the land swap will not have "significant effects on public health, historic resources, or federally recognized tribal sacred sites." Federal researchers also stated the trade would improve the habitat.

More than 25,000 people commented on the federal proposal. The majority were against it.

The documents show small changes were made based on those comments. But those changes were not enough for the groups fighting to protect the environment.

Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, said her group has been documenting conditions in the area.

"I go out there, and I take community members on tours of the area. I take photos. I document ongoing destruction. It's sad to see that there could be more destruction, which is why we're doing everything we can," Hinojosa said.

Her group joined other environmentalists to sue U.S. Fish and Wildlife over the proposal.

"It's upsetting that the federal government is working with Elon Musk and SpaceX to try to take over more wildlife habitat for exploding rockets," Hinojosa said.

Hinojosa also pushed back on the federal environmental review.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's environmental review for this land grab is ludicrous. They did no environmental assessment; it's full of holes," Hinojosa said. "Our goal for this lawsuit is that this land continues to be protected wildlife land."

Channel 5 News reached out to U.S. Fish and Wildlife for comment. The agency said it does not comment on pending lawsuits. Requests for comment from SpaceX were unreturned as of Thursday evening.

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