A planned SpaceX complex in coastal Vermilion Parish is being pitched by Louisiana officials as a $100 billion economic investment, but residents near the proposed site say the deal moved forward without enough public scrutiny or input from the communities most affected. SpaceX plans to build a 125,000-acre facility south of Abbeville that could launch approximately 30 rockets a day, or thousands each year. The project, described by the company as “Starbase Louisiana,” is intended to support the expansion of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network and could eventually help power data centers in space. Louisiana Economic Development says the site will include five launch complexes, along with housing for employees and their families. During an Aug. 25 announcement in Abbeville, SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell and Gov. Jeff Landry promoted the project’s potential to create jobs. A promotional video featuring SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the facility could bring about 10,000 jobs to the state. But the terms of the agreement have raised questions about public accountability and the costs to taxpayers. Records from Louisiana Economic Development show that SpaceX is expected to pay Vermilion Parish about $25 million per year while avoiding billions of dollars in property taxes over 25 years. The state has also enacted laws that exempt aerospace companies, including SpaceX, from certain property taxes, liability and nuisance claims involving noise, vibrations, heat exhaust and sonic booms, as well as some public-records requirements. Negotiations were conducted in part under nondisclosure agreements signed by state lawmakers. The documents identified the project by the codename “Project Osprey.” Landry defended the secrecy at the announcement, saying companies need confidentiality while negotiating with states and shaping policies. Residents of Pecan Island, about a 45-minute drive south of Abbeville, say they were largely left out of the process. Kim Nehrbass, who operates a hunting and fishing camp in the area, described the coastal marsh as a “paradise” and said the governor had pushed the project through without asking local residents whether they supported it. “​​He just ramrodded it through,” Nehrbass said. The proposed facility also sits near wetlands used by migratory birds traveling along the Mississippi Flyway. Gabe Giffin, an outdoor educator, said the coastal area provides an important stopover where birds feed before continuing their migration to Central and South America. “Where we’re at, this is the last ledge before they leap off, if you will,” Giffin said. Shotwell acknowledged that launches could temporarily disturb migratory birds but said they would return soon after rockets leave the area. Brooke Broussard, a nearby resident, questioned that assurance and said the community’s experience and cultural ties to the land deserved more consideration. “This is my source in a lot of ways,” Broussard said. “My life source, where I came from, where I was conceived, and I find a lot of strength here and I find a lot of strength in my family history here.” She said she did not want the project’s history to be reduced to a story about Musk arriving and taking over. For residents, the debate is not only about rockets and jobs, but also about who gets to decide the future of Louisiana’s vulnerable coast—and who bears the environmental and financial risks.