In McAllen, U.S. Representative Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat, is taking steps to safeguard the name of Boca Chica Beach, a cherished destination in South Texas that faced a potential renaming earlier this month.
The beach, which has recently garnered national attention due to its association with SpaceX launch sites, was at risk of being renamed Cyber Beach. This proposal emerged after a SpaceX enthusiast submitted an application to the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, seeking to officially adopt the new designation by November 2024.
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names collaborates with the U.S. Geological Survey, the same agency responsible for changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America following an executive order from former President Donald Trump.
Although the name change proposal was ultimately rejected by the Domestic Names Committee, which voted unanimously against it, Gonzalez introduced the Hands Off Our Boca Chica Beach Act on Monday. This legislation aims to enshrine the Boca Chica name and obligate the U.S. Board of Geographic Names to inform the relevant congressional representative of any proposed name changes within their jurisdiction.
“It is absurd that a name proposal from outside our state was able to threaten the very essence of a cultural and historic landmark in South Texas,” Gonzalez stated. “The lack of transparency from the Domestic Names Committee almost excluded the residents of Cameron County from a decision that directly affects our lives and would have imposed financial burdens on local municipalities for replacing signs and other public identifiers.”
He emphasized, “While our community was able to quickly unite to thwart this initial proposal, my bill would ensure that Boca Chica Beach remains the People’s Beach for generations to come.”
The name change initiative was put forth by Josh Hazel, a resident of Mississippi, who is part of a group known as “Starship Enthusiasts.” This group often gathers at the beach in CyberTrucks to watch SpaceX launches. Hazel’s application indicated that while the beach is informally referred to as “Cyber Beach” by enthusiasts, they sought formal recognition to commemorate the location as the birthplace of interplanetary travel, despite Cape Canaveral in Florida historically being the U.S. center for space exploration.
During a meeting earlier this month, the Domestic Names Committee considered the name change proposal but ultimately rejected it due to overwhelming community opposition, receiving approximately 2,780 emails against the change compared to just one in favor.
According to Bryan Purtell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Geological Survey, anyone can propose a name change for consideration. However, the proposal to rename Boca Chica Beach did not resonate with the public outside of its proponents.
In the days leading up to the vote, state lawmakers from both parties and local officials from Starbase publicly opposed the name change. State Representative Erin Gamez, a Democrat from Brownsville, expressed in a letter to the committee that “Boca Chica Beach has been known by that name for generations,” asserting that the name is integral to the cultural and historical identity of the community.
Gamez, along with other lawmakers, urged the committee to reject the name change or at least postpone the vote to allow for more community feedback. She highlighted that the Boca Chica name has been in official government records since 1936 and changing it would create logistical issues, necessitating updates to public roads, maps, signs, and other references.
“Renaming the beach would impose costs on local and state governments without any public benefit,” she added.
The Texas Geographic Names Committee also opposed the proposal, noting that the term “cyber” is closely associated with companies like SpaceX and would contradict the U.S. Board’s naming policies. Furthermore, the committee pointed out the absence of local support, including from the newly incorporated city of Starbase.
State Senator Adam Hinojosa, a Republican from Corpus Christi, whose district includes Boca Chica Beach, also advocated against the proposal. In his letter to the committee, he acknowledged the benefits of investment and innovation in South Texas but stressed that such progress does not necessitate the alteration of a historic name that has persisted for generations.
Had the name change been approved, it would have taken immediate effect; however, the new name would take time to be updated in the Geographic Names Information System, the official federal record of geographic names. It is important to note that name changes sanctioned by the agency only impact federal usage, while other entities can choose whether to adopt those names.
