Oceana Joins Lawsuit Against Decision to Override Endangered Species Protections in Gulf of Mexico

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WASHINGTON, June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oceana has joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its decision to unilaterally remove threatened and endangered species protections in the Gulf of Mexico to make way for offshore oil and gas drilling.

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This move by the so-called “God Squad” was made after the Secretary of Defense declared the exemption was necessary for “national security.” The lawsuit, filed shortly after the decision by other environmental groups, argues this move abuses the national security exception and does not follow the robust review process required under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for granting exemptions under the law.

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“The Trump administration needs to be held accountable for attempting to undermine protections for endangered wildlife like the critically endangered Rice’s whale that call the Gulf of Mexico home,” said Oceana Vice President Beth Lowell. “The Endangered Species Act has a rarely used process for exempting projects from the law, yet the administration did not follow it. Circumventing the public process entirely undermines the integrity of the law and will push already struggling marine wildlife one step closer to extinction.”

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Background

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In rare circumstances, the Endangered Species Act allows a committee of federal officials to exempt federal actions from the law’s requirements. This Endangered Species Committee is made up of federal officials, including the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Army; the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers; and the Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Committee is also meant to include representatives from affected states. The Committee has authority to grant exemptions from ESA requirements only after a detailed and rigorous review process and when there are no alternatives that would allow the activity to move forward without jeopardizing the continued existence of a listed species. The Committee has only met four times in the nearly 50 years since its establishment.

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The ESA is one of our nation’s most successful and popular laws. Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in 1973, the law has prevented 99% of the species under its care from going extinct. The ESA is a success story – without it, we likely would have lost many important marine species to extinction, including southern sea otters, green sea turtles, blue whales, and Chinook salmon. Hundreds of species are on the path to recovery thanks to the ESA. Decades of public polling have demonstrated strong bipartisan support for the law.

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Oceana is represented by Earthjustice.

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Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 350 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more.

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