October 17, 2026 · Boca Chica · Land

The SpaceX refuge land swap is done: deeds recorded Oct. 5 move about 727 acres of refuge land to SpaceX

Two deeds recorded with the Cameron County Clerk on Oct. 5, 2026, close the land exchange between SpaceX and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that a federal judge let proceed in September. The government's quitclaim deed conveys about 727 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Dogleg Park, LLC. In return, SpaceX and Dogleg Park deeded 683.01 acres to the United States.

• The values: the warranty deed values the 683.01 acres SpaceX gave at $13,884,000 and the refuge land it received at $13,059,250. SpaceX's side was worth $824,750 more, and the deed says: "Grantor donates the equalization payment to the Grantee of $824,750.00."
• 727 or 715: in September, the Texas Tribune reported 715 refuge acres, and the Brownsville Herald reported 727. The recorded quitclaim says "approximately 727" acres, and the five parcels it describes add up to about 727.3.
• A Civil War covenant: about 10.05 acres in the Tarpon Haven Subdivision "are restricted to prohibit industrial, commercial and residential development in order to preserve the historic viewshed of the site, as these parcels are believed to be in the vicinity of the last shot fired during the Civil War." It binds the new owners and their successors "in perpetuity." Viewing platforms, interpretive signs, access roads and trails are still allowed.
• The paperwork: the U.S. side was signed through the Secretary of the Interior under the National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act. The deeds were recorded Oct. 5, two weeks after the Texas Tribune reported the title transfer was expected on Sept. 22.

Why it matters here: with the deeds recorded, the refuge land near the launch site is SpaceX's on paper, on top of the about 1,500 acres near the Port in yesterday's deeds story. Our Sept. 22 story on the ruling.

This morning: Boca Chica Beach is open. The city of Starbase posted a road delay from 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, to 4 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, listed as "Masseys to Production."

Sources: Cameron County Clerk, document 2026-36287 (Quitclaim Deed, U.S.A. to SpaceX and Dogleg Park, LLC, recorded Oct. 5, 2026) · document 2026-36288 (Warranty Deed, SpaceX and Dogleg Park, LLC to U.S.A., recorded Oct. 5, 2026) · Texas Tribune (Sept. 21) · Brownsville Herald / MyRGV (Sept. 21) · City of Starbase, beach and road access (read Oct. 17) · Photo: "Battle of Palmito Ranch marker" by Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; our card is shared under the same license

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