Trump officials issue exemption for Gulf drilling from Endangered Species Act
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration exempted Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling from the Endangered Species Act, citing national security concerns amid the U.S.-Iran conflict and rising energy prices.
- The Endangered Species Committee, chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, met for the first time in over 30 years to approve the exemption, which critics warn threatens the rare Rice’s whale and other marine life.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that environmental lawsuits against drilling hinder domestic energy production, benefiting U.S. adversaries and compromising national security.
- Environmental groups condemned the exemption as unprecedented and illegal, pledging to challenge it in court, while industry representatives welcomed streamlined approvals for drilling projects.
- The exemption marks the first use of national security to justify such action by the committee, which has rarely convened or granted exemptions since its creation in 1978.
