The Trump administration is bringing together a committee that decides on exemptions to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to determine if oil and gas development can move forward without considering protections for threatened and endangered species. Created in 1978, the Endangered Species Committee—otherwise known as “The God Squad”—has the power to override species protections bestowed by the ESA when they conflict with federal projects. The committee has not convened in over 30 years. For an exemption to occur, it must meet strict criteria, and five of the seven members must vote in favor, finding that no reasonable alternatives exist and a project’s national or regional benefits outweigh potential harm to listed species. These criteria will now be examined in the Gulf of Mexico, recently renamed by the Trump administration as the Gulf of America, despite a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which warned that oil and gas activity could jeopardize the federally endangered Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei). There are roughly 50 Rice’s whales left. The whale’s conservation will be weighed against economic and energy priorities outlined in an executive order declaring a National Energy Emergency.
Read more in the Federal Register or watch the hearing on YouTube.
