As the price of oil has surged amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, the United States government has taken the drastic step of suspending endangered species protections in the Gulf of Mexico, according to an Associated Press report.
Though the move was purportedly made to address skyrocketing gas prices in the U.S., experts noted that expanding oil production takes years, if not decades. This means that the rollback of environmental protections is likely to have no immediate impact on prices.
What's happening?
The decision came at a meeting of the Endangered Species Committee, a government body composed of several high-level administration officials and chaired by Doug Burgum, the Secretary of the Interior.
The meeting was the committee's first in over 30 years, the AP reported.
Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, argued before the committee that the rules protecting endangered species in the gulf benefited America's foes in the current Middle East conflict.
"Disruptions to Gulf oil production doesn't hurt just us; it benefits our adversaries," Hegseth told the committee, as quoted by PBS. "We cannot allow our own rules to weaken our standing and strengthen those who wish to harm us.
"When development in the gulf is chilled, we are prevented from producing the energy we need as a country and as a department."
However, critics argued that, in addition to having little if any impact on the current prices of crude oil and gasoline, the decision placed several highly endangered species at risk of extinction.
Of particular concern is the fate of the species known as Rice's whale. The rare whales are found only in the Gulf of Mexico, and experts believe only about 50 members of the species remain.
"If Trump is successful here, he could be the first person in history to knowingly extirpate a species from the face of the Earth," warned Patrick Parenteau, emeritus professor at Vermont Law School, per the AP. "That's how precarious the condition of Rice's whale is."
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The exemptions to the Endangered Species Act represented yet another example of the current administration rolling back decades-old environmental protections to benefit the oil and gas industries.
The controversial moves, which have included withdrawing key rules that protect the quality of the nation's air and water, could impact public health and the environment for decades to come.
What's being done about it?
With this fall's midterm elections approaching and a presidential election slated for 2028, voters will have the opportunity to elect representatives who will push back on the current administration's environmental and public health rollbacks and potentially reverse course on decisions such as the recent ESA exemptions.
Additionally, those who oppose the current administration's policies can take action now by using their voice and contacting their elected representatives in Washington, D.C.
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