Trump Administration Considers Endangered Species Act Exemption to Support Oil & Gas Activities in Gulf of Mexico - CleanTechnica

The Trump Administration is considering invoking an exemption under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to support oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that the Endangered Species Committee, often called the “God Squad,” will meet on March 31 to discuss this potential exemption. This committee has the authority to override ESA protections, which is significant given that the Gulf of Mexico is home to the critically endangered Rice’s whale, with fewer than 100 individuals estimated to remain. The National Marine Fisheries Service has previously found that oil and gas operations in the region are likely to jeopardize the whale’s survival. Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, strongly oppose this move. They argue that the ESA is meant to prevent extinctions, not to be circumvented to benefit corporate interests. The Sierra Club’s National Wildlife Campaign Manager, Ben Greuel, criticized the administration for prioritizing oil and gas profits over the survival of vulnerable species, warning that such actions could push the Rice