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Residents and activists press Long Beach council to reconsider SpaceX presence at port, citing environmental and labor concerns
Summary
Multiple speakers at the April 22 meeting urged Long Beach officials to place SpaceX on the agenda, citing environmental risks, labor and union concerns, and the company's owner’s public conduct; some speakers asked the council to seek lease termination or other formal actions.
Dozens of residents, community activists and union‑aligned speakers used public comment time April 22 to press the Long Beach City Council to revisit the city’s relationship with SpaceX and its lease at the Port of Long Beach.
At public comment, Janine Stallings — who earlier linked the port’s lease with SpaceX to transgender issues — asked whether the city could do more than symbolic gestures in support of LGBTQ+ residents, saying, "You can't buy our health and you can't buy our safety back with that money." Other speakers from groups including the Feminist Uprising and local labor‑concerned residents described SpaceX as a risk to public health and a company that opposes unions.
Ashley Brady of Feminist Uprising framed the issue as environmental and feminist, saying "ecocide is a feminist issue," and urging the council to prioritize community voices over corporate interests. Several speakers cited incidents and published reporting about SpaceX firing legal challenges to labor protections, and one speaker said Harbor Commission discussion had indicated SpaceX’s lease runs through 2028.
Speakers also raised air‑quality and toxic‑runoff concerns. CSULB student and biology student Serenity Vejar cited technical estimates of launch emissions and argued the company's greenhouse‑gas and pollution footprint runs counter to city climate goals. Others faulted SpaceX’s operations record, saying crashes and environmental impacts are not compatible with Long Beach's shoreline and community health goals.
Activists said they are circulating a petition to try to remove SpaceX from the port and urged the council to place SpaceX on a future agenda so the community can deliberate. Councilmembers did not take action on the spot; members and staff directed speakers to the Harbor Commission and said the council would note public concern. The Harbor Commission and port staff are a separate governance track; the public commenters said they had been told the current lease expires in 2028 and asked for greater transparency and public discussion in the meantime.
No formal motion or vote on SpaceX was recorded during the meeting.
