God Squad Meets on Gulf Drilling Exemption

0:00It's March 31st, from your city to your ears. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. A special U.S. government panel called The Got Squad is meeting Tuesday for the first time since 1992 to weigh exempting oil and gas, drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act. Officials cite national security needs, but they're keeping details under wraps. The group, led by Interior Secretary Doug Bergham, includes top Trump administration figures. This pushed ties into President Trump's second-term focus on wrapping up fossil fuels, including new drilling off Florida's coast and easing. Environmental rules. Defense Secretary Pete Hakeseth made the request on March 13th amid global oil price spikes from the Iran War. Critics warned this could spell trouble for railwales, sea turtles, and other Gulf marine life already at risk from ship strikes and spills. The Gulf pumps out over 10 percent of U.S. crude, but is no stranger to disasters like

1:01the Deepwater Horizon Blowout or a recent spill to hit six. Species. The panel, created in 1978, has only met three times before, granting just two exemptions for dams and logging. A federal judge just struck down old Trump-era attempts to weaken species protections, setting the stage for this rare session. Meanwhile, experts say the administration must prove a clear military link to justify the exemption. Eyes are on what the God Squad decides next for the Gulf's future balance of energy and wildlife.