God Squad to Decide on Gulf Drilling Exemption

0:00It's March 31st. Welcome in. This is Durham News today, where local news meets AI. A U.S. government panel, called the God 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, official site national security needs, but they're keeping details under wraps. The group, led by Interior Secretary Doug Bergham, includes top Trump administration figures pushing hard for more fossil fuel output. Earlier this month on March 13th, Defense Secretary Pete Hexeth asked for the exemption amid global oil price spikes from the Iran conflict. Trump wants to ramp up drilling off Florida's coast and roll back environmental rules that industry hates. Just weeks ago, they greenlit BP's $5 billion deep water project in the Gulf. Critics warned this could spell disaster for rare whales, sea turtles, and other marine life already hit by ship strikes and spills.

1:01The Gulf pumps over 10 percent of U.S. crude, but is scarred by catastrophes like the 2010 deep water horizon mess and a fresh buildus. Month that wrecked protected areas. This rare committee has only met three times in over 50 years, granting just two exemptions before, like where a dam and some logging. A federal judge recently shot down environmentalists early bids to block it, saying it's too soon since no final calls been made. As energy demands class with wildlife protections, this meeting could reshape Gulf drilling rules for years, balancing security claims against ecological risks.