Burnet County could launch spaceport development corp. with neighbor
Briggs, in northeast Burnet County, is home to a 200-acre rocket manufacturing and testing facility owned by Firefly Aerospace. The county could partner with neighboring Williamson County to form a ‘spaceport development corporation’ that would help facilitate the continued growth of the space industry in the region. Firefly Aerospace photo
Burnet County is in talks with Williamson County to potentially join forces and form the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp., which would nurture the growth of the aerospace industry that has already taken root in both counties in the form of Firefly Aerospace. If formed, the corporation could bring millions of state and federal dollars into the region to support the space business and pave the way for more development.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court discussed and considered the corporation’s formation on Tuesday, March 25, but took no action. Commissioners plan to tweak the proposed bylaws that would govern the organization and continue negotiations with Williamson County to ensure Burnet County has a fair deal, before anything is approved.
Williamson County approved its side of the deal on March 11, but changes are still on the table as Burnet County assesses the agreement.
“Instead of just sitting there, watching the parade go by, we can have a seat at the parade,” Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We’re growing, (the aerospace) industry is growing. Firefly, they’re here, and because of that, they’re going to grow.”
Beierle’s Precinct 2 contains the prime driver for the spaceport corporation talks: Firefly Aerospace. The space firm has a 200-acre manufacturing and testing facility in northeast Burnet County in the community of Briggs and its headquarters in Cedar Park in Williamson County. The company, which formed in 2017, has reportedly invested $500 million at its U.S. facilities, has 300-plus employees in Burnet County, and recently made international (and local) headlines when its Blue Ghost lunar lander completed the first fully successful moon landing by a private company.
SDCs EXPLAINED
A spaceport development corporation is a nonprofit organization—public, private, or public-private partnership—that is dedicated to supporting the growth of the space industry in a region. If formed, the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corp. would be only the sixth SDC in Texas.
Overseeing the local corporation would be a volunteer board of seven directors, with representatives appointed by the commissioners courts in Burnet and Williamson counties, who would pursue grant funding for infrastructure development, talent development and acquisition, and possibly to attract other space firms or peripheral businesses.
The corporation would not take funds from either county but function using state and federal grant money. An example would be the $150 million being distributed by the Texas Space Commission, which is expected to be re-upped by the current Texas Legislature.
CONCERNS
One of the main concerns of Burnet County commissioners was that Williamson County was given four of the seven board appointments, creating an imbalance. A potential neutral member would solve that, they said. Commissioners also want to include in the bylaws protections against acts of eminent domain, or the seizure of private property for public use.
“I want to make sure that we are protecting the land in Burnet County,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery. “It sounds to me like we have some unanswered questions.”
Commissioner Beierle acknowledged community concerns about Firefly’s presence in Briggs. While no actual rocket launches happen, engine and thruster testing gets noisy and traffic through the small town has increased.
“I’m always honest with Firefly when I tell them that a lot of folks out there don’t like what they’re doing, but Firefly puts a lot of effort into being a good neighbor,” he said.
Firefly Chief Operating Officer Dan Fermon was present at Tuesday’s meeting and recognized those concerns but strongly advocated for the SDC’s formation.
“It’s been an exciting ride for us at Firefly Aerospace, and we’re honored to be part of your community,” he said. “I understand the concerns that were brought up, and they’re fair, and my only ask is that we try to (incorporate) in a timely manner.”
Another visitor to the court, Scott Smith, assistant director of Economic Development for Cedar Park, also strongly advocated for incorporation.
“There has been no time like today for the competition for key economic development investments, both in the state of Texas but also nationally and internationally,” he said. “The growth in this particular sector is phenomenal.”
4 thoughts on “Burnet County could launch spaceport development corp. with neighbor”
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Why do we need WilCo in the first place? Both BurnetCo and a non-profit that runs the Spaceport would be eligible for all the same grant funds from State and Feds. Going in with WilCo just adds unnecessary complexity.
We have the acreage, WilCo has a strong NIMBY element that would prevent a spaceport there.
I say we look into instead building our own spaceport without WilCo.
But of course, groundwater availability must be addressed. With WilCo next door, where they have no Groundwater Conservation District, they practice the old “law of the biggest pump” and in doing so draw down the Trinity Aquafer we share with them.
Where did the statistic of “300 employees” come from?
The Burnet County Annual Comprehensive Audit Report doesn’t mention Firefly at all.
Here is the county employer data from the annual report:
1. Marble Falls ISD 694 employees
2. Horseshoe Bay Resort & Marriott 670 employees
3. Baylor, Scott & White 588 employees
4. Burnet CISD 500 employees
5. HEB Graocery 450 employees
6. Burnet County 390 employees
7. Wal-Mart Stores 255 employees
8. City of Burnet 183 employees
9. City of Marble Falls 148 employees
10. Stealth Products 145 employees
Firefly isn’t on the list as a top 10 Burnet County employer.
Of particular interest is the groundwater availability in the Briggs area. The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District has already released a study by Intera hydrologists showing that the aquifer in that area is being depleted. How could a large spaceport be supported in its water needs when local residents already face well water levels descending?
Perhaps WilCo could finally come to the table and create its own Groundwater Conservation District to manage our mutual scarce water resources, then this “spacey” project could be reconsidered at a later date.
Depleted water levels don’t respect county boundary lines. WilCo needs to start managing its groundwater, and stop operating under the “law of the biggest pump” from the 1800s.
For now, I’d say no thank you to a spaceport. Water first.
Are there any maximum decibel laws in county noise ordinances?