On March 31, 2026, the Secretary of the Interior held a special meeting of the Endangered Species Committee, including officials from DOI, EPA, Department of the Army, USDA, and Department of Commerce. The meeting was held in response to a letter from the Secretary of War, who found it necessary as a matter of national security that an exemption be granted under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements for biological opinions and consultations on activities related to fossil fuel development in the Gulf of America. The Committee granted the exemption, which allows such activities to proceed without consultation, and exempting any activities which would normally be considered a taking of a listed species. 91 Fed. Reg. 16966 (Apr. 3, 2026).
The DOI issued an announcement of the decision on April 1, 2026, which "emphasized that sustained oil and gas production in the region is essential to U.S. national security and economic stability, and cautioned that critical energy operations should not be jeopardized by the threat of disruptive litigation.”