Endangered Species Committee Exempts Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf Based on National Security Finding

The Endangered Species Committee met on March 31, 2026, and voted unanimously to exempt “Gulf of America Oil and Gas Activities, which include the avoidance or minimization measures in the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 2026 biological opinion and in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) 2018 and 2026 consultation decision.”[1] The exemption was based on a national security determination by the Secretary of Defense.[2] The Secretary’s determination focuses on lawsuits brought...