Endangered Species ‘God Squad’ to Meet to Promote Oil Drilling

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will convene the Endangered Species Committee, or “God Squad,” for the first time in decades to exempt imperiled species in the Gulf of Mexico from protections to support offshore oil drilling, according to a Federal Register notice posted late Friday.

The committee will convene March 31 at 9:30 a.m. at Interior Department headquarters in Washington, the notice says. The meeting will only be open to the public via a live YouTube video.

“The Committee is meeting regarding an exemption under the Endangered Species Act with respect to oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities ...