SpaceX’s Florida gas pipeline gets staff backing for service tariff

Florida regulatory staff recommended approving the service tariff for SpaceX’s proposed Brevard County gas pipeline in a September 24, 2026 recommendation, a step concerning its gas transportation business rather than approval of a construction route. The project would supply fuel for Starship, which uses liquid methane, according to Reuters. The recommendation was scheduled for the commission’s October 6, 2026 meeting; the commission’s disposition could not be confirmed from the accessible official records as of October 8.

The recommendation concerns Coastal Connect Services, a SpaceX subsidiary proposing a 32.4 mile (52 km) steel pipeline connected to Florida Gas Transmission. SpaceX would reserve its entire capacity. Coastal Connect would transport gas owned by its customers rather than sell fuel, and its tariff would establish service rules while leaving charges to individual negotiations.

What the tariff covers

The staff document separates the tariff from the SpaceX transportation contract: in Issue 3, staff concluded that filed affidavits satisfied Section 368.105(3)(a) and (c), Florida Statutes, making the contract’s rates approved by operation of law without another commission decision. That provision deems qualifying negotiated rates approved when both parties file the required affidavits, subject to the commission’s power to suspend and modify them. In Issue 2, footnote 7, staff also concluded that the proposed line qualifies for an exemption from Florida’s Pipeline Siting Act certification process under Section 403.9405(2)(a), which covers pipelines shorter than 100 miles (161 km) or contained within one county unless the applicant elects certification. That exemption is a separate legal question from approving transportation terms, and Section 403.9405(3) says it does not remove other applicable permitting requirements.

Reuters reported that Coastal Connect argues trucking and existing local pipelines cannot meet SpaceX’s growing requirements at Cape Canaveral. The company’s case is that a dedicated connection would provide more dependable fuel deliveries as operations expand. Those are the applicant’s arguments, rather than demonstrated results from an operating pipeline.

For readers following our Everything you need to know about Starship coverage, this proposal concerns the fuel supply behind the launches. Under the procedure described in the staff recommendation, an order approving the tariff would open a 21 day period for affected parties to protest; without a timely protest, a subsequent order would finalize the action and close the docket.