Thursday, March 27, 2025
When Elvis Presley had the hit song “A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On,” no one would have dreamed that this would apply to folks in Coryell County.
For several years, complaints have been made from residents in McGregor and McLennan County about the rumblings and shaking felt from the rocket testing at SpaceX, but little has been mentioned about the effects in nearby Coryell County – especially to the residents of Oglesby, which is much closer to the testing area than McGregor.
While broken windows, home foundation shifts, and property damage continue to be reported in McGregor, much of the same damage, if not more, could be reported in Oglesby, which is just “across the fence row” from the testing complex.
Oglesby resident, Steve Kepple, said, “It’s getting worse all the time. Unfortunately, we’re losing things on the shelves, and it’s about to shake the windows out. The biggest thing I’m sad about is that they use millions of gallons of water to turn into steam from the local wells [on SpaceX property], and over here our wells are dry.”
The daily testing at SpaceX has often been compared to what you would experience during an earthquake. The shaking and rumbling have been heard and felt as far away as in Gatesville – often rattling the windows in the Coryell County Courthouse. The shaking has been felt in Waco, Belton, and even in China Spring.
Structural damage has also been reported. Nearby residents have reported cracks in their ceilings, cracked walls and foundations, windows broken, household items being destroyed, as well as foundations of homes being shifted.
When the testing of the raptor rocket engines began, the noise and damage only intensified. Earthquake researchers have stated that sonic booms and even heavy trucks driving by can have the same effect as the rocket testing at SpaceX.
“I live on the last street to the west in Oglesby and I’ve been videoing the inside of my house, and it shakes things off the shelves, and I have to re-shelf things every time. And, the worst ones [testings] seem to be at night. I’m sure it’s moving our foundation. Around Oglesby, a lot of people are talking about things shaking off the shelves, pictures [on the walls] moving and falling, and windows rattling and breaking. We have cracks in our walls and in the sheetrock,” Kepple said.
“I know that they [SpaceX] have contracts with McGregor, but they’ve never done it with Oglesby; but, I suspect it’s because we’re in different counties,” he said.
Kepple continued, “I’d like them to see us drive a new well, because they’re using all the water. They’re not using McGregor water, because McGregor gets their water from Belton; but, there are wells between Oglesby and SpaceX.”
“We are way more closer to SpaceX than McGregor; we feel it a lot more than other people in the area. Millions of gallons of water are being used, and these are two of the driest counties in the State of Texas,” he said.
In regard to the noise complaints, SpaceX has replied that the public is not at risk during the testing and that they adhere to all parameters relating to air pressure, noise levels, and ground vibration.
Residents that have suffered property damage can contact SpaceX directly or consult a licensed attorney who can help them negotiate with SpaceX and provide photos and videos to document damage.
