Hey Sky-Sharing Neighbor!
Thank you for supporting our petition to ensure responsible and sustainable space operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base. We have an important update and opportunity for you to take action.
The U.S. Space Force has announced its Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding commercial launch operations at Vandenberg. This is a direct response to increasing concerns about the environmental, community, and public health impacts of expanded rocket launches—issues that our petition addressed.
This process gives us a chance to demand the meaningful public engagement, rigorous environmental reviews, and regulatory oversight we called for in our petition.
What’s at Stake
As highlighted in our petition, increased launch frequencies and operations:
• Disrupt local communities with noise and light pollution.
• Threaten wildlife and ecosystems through outdated environmental assessments.
• Erode public trust without adequate safeguards in place.
The lessons from SpaceX’s operations in Texas remind us of the risks when oversight is lax: habitat damage, regulatory bypassing, and harm to local communities. It is vital that California does not follow this path.
How You Can Help
The EIS process invites public comments to influence the scope and direction of these reviews. We need your voice to ensure that the concerns we raised—noise impacts, ecological damage, public health, and corporate accountability—are addressed.
Ways to Take Action:
1. Attend a Public Scoping Meeting
Engage directly with decision-makers and express your concerns. Three in-person meetings and one virtual meeting are scheduled:
• Ventura
• Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025
• Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST
• Location: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1679, 3801 Market St., Ventura, CA
• Santa Barbara
• Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
• Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST
• Location: Westside Neighborhood Center, 423 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, CA
• Lompoc
• Date: Thursday, January 16, 2025
• Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM PST
• Location: Dick DeWees Community Center, 1120 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, CA
• Virtual Meeting
• Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025
• Time: 6:00 PM PST
• Access: www.VSFBFalconLaunchEIS.com
During these meetings, project team members will provide information, and there will be opportunities to submit oral and written comments. Materials will be available in English and Spanish.
2. Submit a Public Comment
Share your thoughts on the impacts of commercial launches and the need for stronger environmental and community protections.
• Scoping Period: December 13, 2024 – January 27, 2025
Submission Methods:
• In-Person: At any of the public scoping meetings listed above.
• Online: Via the comment form on the project website: www.VSFBFalconLaunchEIS.com
• Email: Send comments to info@VSFBFalconLaunchEIS.com with the subject line “Falcon EIS.”
• Mail: Address to ATTN: VSFB Falcon Launch EIS c/o ManTech International Corporation, 420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 100, Solana Beach, CA 92075
Together, We Can Make a Difference
The fight to preserve California’s coastline and uphold community values requires all of us to act. By participating in this process, you can help ensure that space innovation proceeds responsibly, without sacrificing the health of our environment or the well-being of our communities.
Thanks for joining up to protect our California Coast.
Best,
Chris