Texas Environmental Network Plans to Protest SpaceX Analyst Meetings

Source: US News & World Report/Reuters

April 20, 2026, at 6:24 p.m.


April 20 (Reuters) - Environmental activists ⁠plan ⁠to protest outside SpaceX's Starbase ⁠launch facilities on Tuesday ahead of the highly anticipated IPO of Elon ​Musk's company, pressuring big public pension funds to avoid the deal due to worries about pollution from rocket ‌launches and safety issues.

The South ‌Texas Environmental Justice Network said its members plan to protest outside the facility's main entrance on ⁠Tuesday as ⁠SpaceX kicks off three days of tours and meetings with Wall Street ​stock analysts. Network co-founder Bekah Hinojosa said she is urging investors to boycott the IPO and has lobbied the office of New York City Comptroller Mark Levine against buying the company's shares for the city's pension plans.

The ​company's rocket launches from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas have caused Hinojosa's apartment ⁠in nearby ⁠Brownsville to shake. Hinojosa ⁠said she is ​also worried that the flames emitted by the rockets could set off fires in the dry ​South Texas landscape. "It doesn’t ⁠feel great to feel like we’re being bombed by Elon Musk,” Hinojosa said in an interview on Monday.

She added that she has had several conversations with Levine's office about SpaceX. A representative for the comptroller declined to comment. SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Read more: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2026-04-20/texas-environmental-network-plans-to-protest-spacex-analyst-meetings