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

Mar. 17, 2025

Federal judge allows SpaceX to expand retaliation claims against Coastal Commission

The rocket company alleges that commission members unlawfully denied a petition to expand launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base due to their political bias against owner Elon Musk. While the Air Force ultimately approved the project, the court is allowing SpaceX to provide more evidence showing economic harm from the commission's actions.

Federal judge allows SpaceX to expand retaliation claims against Coastal Commission
Shutterstock

A federal judge on Friday allowed SpaceX to strengthen its retaliation claims against the California Coastal Commission after finding the company's initial pleadings did not sufficiently prove how the alleged wrongdoing caused a legitimate harm.

The primary claim of the case is that the commission's members - during an October hearing last year - exceeded its authority and unlawfully voted to deny SpaceX's petition to increase rocket launch activity at Vandenberg Air F...

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?

Enewsletter Sign-up