Photo: Loren Elliott / Getty Images News / Getty Images
SpaceX is running its latest Starship tests without environmental permits. On Friday, Elon Musk's aerospace company tested a new "flame deflector" system in southern Texas. However CNBC reports they never applied for the permits that allow them to discharge processed wastewater into the surrounding area. That excess water is considered a regulated pollutant under the Clean Water Act due to the chemicals, silt, and heat that could degrade nearby wetlands. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says its the responsibility of the business owners to figure out if they'll need a wastewater permit. So far, SpaceX hasn't commented on why it's allowing testing without permits.