The state of California is one of the leaders at killing businesses. Now it appears that one state agency is after access to space from nearby Vandenberg Space Force Base.
According to a report in Noozhawk, the California Coastal Commission is worried that the increased launch rates by SpaceX from South Vandenberg launch sites may impact access to Jalama Beach.
These are the same folks that stand idly by as Surf Beach has been closed since 1995 for several months each year in the name of protecting the Western Snowy Plover.
So, if recreational access to the beach is so critical, why haven’t they taken another look at that closure since after almost 30 years the numbers of birds at the Vandenberg beaches hasn’t increased as predicted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when they were closed?
Is the current angst of the Coastal Commission valid or even consistently applied?
Noozhawk reports that Vandenberg’s Col. Mark Shoemaker, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, said, “For launches with the potential to impact Jalama Beach, we have shifted to night launches when the beach is largely unoccupied.”
And Assistant Parks Director Jeff Lindgren confirmed Jalama had not seen any temporary closures so far during 2024, adding, “We’ve been able to avoid evacuations for quite a few launches. It really helps when they launch in the winter and launch mid-week and launch at nighttime because that’s when our park populations are at lowest.”
This is after SpaceX just completed its 12th launch since Jan. 1.
So, it appears that locals, including Space Force Base officials, SpaceX, and the county, have solved the problem without the “help” of the state.
Unfortunately, there are some in our community who think that assured access to space is a bother. Considering world problems, they should reevaluate their concerns and consider the big picture.
Access to space for commercial, scientific, and national defense needs is critical to the national interest. Vandenberg was chosen many decades ago as the West Coast launch site because it offered the least amount of public impact.
Because booster rockets can sometimes fail catastrophically, a launch safety zone is needed to prevent the public from being hit by falling debris, thus the need for beach closures.
Shutting down or limiting space access by liberal/progressive Democratic appointees such as the Coastal Commission would be an epic mistake. But, considering many recent decisions by the folks in charge up in Sacramento, it wouldn’t surprise me if they felt recreation was more important than national defense.
Noozhawk reported that on March 10 the Coastal Commission voted to delay the item. It also reported that “Since Vandenberg is a federal site, the California Coastal Commission doesn’t issue permits or have the ability to approve or reject actual projects.”
References:
Coastal Commission Eyes SpaceX Launch Rate Impact on Local Beaches | Local News | Noozhawk.
