This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Environmental & Energy,
Constitutional Law

Jan. 17, 2025

Coastal Commission cites sovereignty to counter SpaceX suit over launches

Coastal Commission says Air Force ignored its denial of SpaceX rocket launch increases, so company wasn't harmed, and commission also can't be sued because of sovereignty.

The California Coastal Commission argued constitutional challenges from Elon Musk's SpaceX over a denial of increased rocket launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base lacked standing and that the commission's decisions were protected under 11th Amendment immunity.

In a motion to dismiss filed Tuesday, Supervising Deputy Attorney General David G. Alderson argued the commission's role in the matter was not regulatory. He said the commission's analysis that denied Space...

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!

Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)

Already a subscriber?

Sign up for Daily Journal emails