U.S. exempts oil industry from protecting Gulf animals, for 'national security'
6 hours ago
- #Oil Industry Exemption
- #National Security Justification
- #Endangered Species Act
- A Trump administration committee voted unanimously to exempt the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas industry from Endangered Species Act protections, citing national security.
- The exemption removes safeguards for endangered species like Rice's whales, sperm whales, sea turtles, and manatees, based on a request from the Defense Secretary.
- Conservation groups criticized the move as illegal and politically motivated, noting it bypassed standard public consultation and environmental reviews.
- Rice's whales are critically endangered with only about 51 left; their population declined after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
- The energy industry has lobbied extensively on this issue, spending millions to influence Endangered Species Act regulations and permitting.
- This is part of a broader pattern under the Trump administration to reduce wildlife protections, with no new species listed as endangered since the start of the second term.