The South Texas Ecotourism Center sits in Laguna Vista along Highway 100.

It's an area Cameron County uses to highlight natural habitat, and precinct three commissioner David A. Garza said he wants to continue preservation efforts. 

But a potential land exchange between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and SpaceX could get in the way.

As previously reported, the department is considering giving up 43 acres of land from the Boca Chica Beach State Park in exchange for 477 acres near the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.

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Garza said he was blindsided by the news.

“We don't need a private corporation to come in and buy the property that is already in the works of being bought,” Garza said, adding that the county already has a partnership with TPWD where the state in the past has invested funds into the center.

Channel 5 News reached out to TPWD for comment on the proposed trade.

TPWD said the added land would allow them to expand management and protection of the state's natural resources and provide “necessary expansion of SpaceX's facilities and operations in Texas.”

Commissioner Garza plans to make the trip to Austin to voice his opinion on this matter at a public hearing set for next week. 

Watch the video above for the full story.