Advocacy Groups File Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Gulf Oil Gas Exemptions
Environmental advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for exempting all oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act. The exemption, facilitated by the Endangered Species Committee, known as the 'God Squad,' was justified by citing national security concerns. This decision affects numerous species, including the critically endangered Rice's whale. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that the exemption violates legal procedures and endangers Gulf ecosystems. The groups involved include Healthy Gulf, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Friends of the Earth, and Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice. 
