Endangered Species Act faces new menace as ‘God Squad’ convenes

By Trimmel Gomes, Florida News Connection

The Endangered Species Act has helped deliver some Florida animals and vegetation again from the brink, from the Florida panther to the West Indian manatee however the Trump administration might change it as quickly as this week.

The White House is convening a particular committee, nicknamed the “God Squad,” to pursue an exemption which might permit Gulf drilling with out full consideration of its results on wildlife. One species in danger is the Rice’s whale, with solely about 50 remaining.

Marilu Flores, communications and digital affiliate for the Endangered Species Coalition, mentioned the legislation has been a bedrock of conservation.

“The Endangered Species Act has really been the cornerstone conservation law that has really helped us protect numerous species, including the American bald eagle, over the course of its existence,” Flores defined. “It really does play a special role in conservation in South Florida.”

The “God Squad” has solely been convened 3 times in practically 50 years. Critics mentioned the administration is bypassing required steps, together with public hearings. A federal decide has allowed the assembly to proceed because the authorized problem continues. The assembly is set for Tuesday on the U.S. Interior Department in Washington, D.C. The assembly is scheduled to be livestreamed on YouTube.

Flores famous species throughout the Southeast face mounting pressures from improvement, air pollution and getting older infrastructure. She pointed to the West Indian manatee as one other instance.

“West Indian manatees have been suffering from starvation in numerous parts of Florida,” Flores underscored. “There was actually a feeding program that was established by the state of Florida to try and bolster their nutritional supplements, because seagrass beds have died off due to pollution and algal blooms and have left them starving.”

According to a letter signed in January by 87 members of Congress, the Endangered Species Act has prevented greater than 99% of listed species from going extinct. They urged the Trump administration to withdraw proposals they mentioned would weaken the legislation.

Florida News Connection is a bureau of the Public News Service. Banner picture: A mom manatee and her calf swimming (Sam Farkas/NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, through Wikimedia Commons). 

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