The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has asked the state attorney general to allow it to withhold a draft commission agenda concerning possible disposition of Cameron County land near SpaceX’s Boca Chica operations. The request, reported by The Texas Tribune on October 31, 2026, concerns a discussion item removed from the final agenda for the commission’s November meeting.
The Tribune’s investigation described draft language concerning approximately 1,300 acres. The department has stated that the commission is not considering a sale of the Boca Chica property at its November meeting.
The department argued that the preliminary agenda falls within protection for the deliberative process. Its attorney, Eric Trimble, characterized the draft as part of the agency’s policymaking work and as reflecting the drafter’s advice and recommendations.
The dispute concerns access to a government record associated with a possible land discussion. A sale to SpaceX has not been confirmed.
How the Public-Records Process Works
The Texas attorney general’s Public Information Act overview explains that the law provides a mechanism for inspecting and copying government records. It also permits withholding in specified circumstances.
When a government body considers requested information exempt from disclosure, the attorney general’s Open Records Division generally reviews the request and the material at issue. The division decides whether the body may withhold the information or must release it.
The department’s position asks for that disclosure determination on the draft agenda. The legal question in the records process is whether the document qualifies for the asserted protection. The commission’s final meeting agenda and any decision about transferring land are separate agency actions.
Public Land Around Boca Chica
Boca Chica State Park lies near the mouth of the Rio Grande. The state acquired the property in 1994, and its landscape includes dunes, marshes, flats, and coastal grasslands. SpaceX’s development in the surrounding area has brought rocket facilities and launch-related access restrictions to the same coastal setting.
The Tribune reported that state Representative Erin Gamez and other Texas House Democrats submitted their own public-information request for records concerning a potential park sale. The department’s stated position remains that the November commission meeting will not consider selling the Boca Chica property.
