A rocket launch isn't in the safety plan for Giga Texas, in case you were wondering
Travis County commissioners approved a conditional permit for Tesla's Giga Texas event Tuesday. There's no SpaceX rocket launch in that plan, in case you were wondering.
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County commissioners approved a conditional permit for Tesla's Giga Texas event Tuesday. There's no SpaceX rocket launch in that plan, in case you were wondering.
"Tony, would this permit allow them to launch a SpaceX rocket from eastern Travis County?" Judge Andy Brown jokingly asked during Travis County Commissioners Court.
"No, I'm well aware of what's happening in other parts of the state and talked to my colleagues and others in those areas," Tony Callaway, the fire marshal, responded. There is a SpaceX launch site in Texas. "There's nothing like that planned or approved for this event or the immediate future."
What the county is preparing for is the safety of the roughly 15,000 people that are expected to attend the event on April 7. The grand opening of the massive Tesla factory in eastern Travis County is invite only, Tesla leadership told commissioners Tuesday.
While not as dramatic as a SpaceX rocket launch, the event could also include fireworks, according to the fire marshal. That would still require attention from the county as it relates to fire concerns.
"Let's cancel the fireworks show if we need to," Commissioner Ann Howard said. "I just want us to be extra careful because there's going to be a lot of people following suit."
Callaway noted that if there were to be fireworks, the county would have the final say on whether those went off or not. A conditional permit would allow the fire marshal's office to pull the plug last minute if conditions were not right.
He also said there would have to be Austin Fire Department firefighters on standby.
"We would be looking at a quick grassland fire," Callaway said of conditions in eastern Travis County should a fire start near that factory.
Commissioners also talked about traffic plans and the safety of the people inside that factory Tuesday before unanimously approving that conditional permit.