W&T Offshore, Energy Group Seek Review of ‘God Squad’ Exemption

April 15, 2026, 7:58 PM UTC

W&T Offshore Inc. and an energy trade group both asked federal appeals courts to review the Trump administration’s exemption of all Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operations from the Endangered Species Act.

W&T petitioned the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit while the American Energy Association petitioned the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, both in court filings Monday. The review bids concern a sweeping exemption granted by the Endangered Species Committee in March, after the Pentagon said that the exemption was needed as a matter of national security issue since the ESA impedes oil ...

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