WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal panel has voted to exempt Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities from key Endangered Species Act protections, invoking a rarely used national‑security pathway that environmental groups warn could weaken safeguards for threatened marine species. The decision, first reported by several outlets and later reflected in a committee order published in the Federal Register, marks one of the broadest uses of that authority in the law’s history.
The Endangered Species Committee, commonly known as the “God Squad,” met March 31 and voted unanimously after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a national‑security finding that triggered the process, according to ABC News and legal analysis from Harvard’s Environmental and Energy Law Program. The exemption applies to Gulf oil and gas activities and sets aside Section 7 consultation requirements tied to federal wildlife‑agency biological opinions, even as voluntary mitigation measures are expected to continue, the Harvard analysis says.
Supporters of the move argue that uninterrupted energy production in the Gulf is important to national security and economic stability, and that litigation over species‑protection rules could disrupt offshore operations, ABC News reported. Reuters and PBS noted this is a rare type of exemption and could affect a wide range of species and habitats in the Gulf.
Environmental groups swiftly challenged the decision. Earthjustice said Gulf and national environmental organizations sued the Trump administration, arguing the exemption would leave numerous species — including Rice’s whales, sea turtles, fish, rays, corals and birds — more vulnerable to extinction. The group also said the committee has historically reviewed individual projects, making this the first national‑security‑based exemption to cover an entire industry sector.
The Gulf decision comes as Rice’s whales remain one of the region’s most vulnerable species, with conservation groups estimating only about 50 remain.