The Digester
politics

Federal panel exempts Gulf drilling from Endangered Species Act

A rarely convened federal committee approved a defense-backed exemption from the Endangered Species Act for Gulf drilling, prompting warnings it could push endangered species toward extinction and immediate legal challenges.

Mar 31st 2026 · United States

Insights

  • The Endangered Species Committee unanimously approved an exemption for Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling at the request of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
  • The committee, chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, had not met in more than three decades.
  • Hegseth said the exemption was necessary for national security amid global oil shocks and Iran-related threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Environmental groups say the exemption could imperil the Rice's whale, estimated at about 51 individuals, along with sea turtles and other protected species and plan legal challenges.
  • The Gulf supplies more than 10% of US crude and has a history of major spills including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that released about 210 million gallons of oil.

Sources