Washington, D.C. — March 31, 2026 — The U.S. Department of the Interior convened on March 31, 2026 meeting with the Endangered Species Committee—often referred to as the “Extinction Committee”—raising significant concerns among conservation leaders about transparency, public access, and adherence to the Endangered Species Act.

In response, ACP CEOs signed the following statement:

As institutions dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life and the health of our ocean and freshwater ecosystems, our Seven organizations express profound concern regarding the convening on March 31, 2026 of the Endangered Species Committee (“Extinction Committee”), led by the Department of Interior (DOI), and the process around establishing this meeting, including limiting public access and failing to disclose information required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

The Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) is a coalition made up of trusted, science-backed institutions that welcome millions of visitors each year. Our aquariums and zoos engage in conservation as science educators, scientific researchers, and trusted stewards. We have joined together to improve the health of our nation’s aquatic resources across many conservation issues, including reducing plastic pollution, protecting ecosystems and wildlife, and combating climate change while working to ensure the resilience of our communities. We are also place-based institutions with strong connections to our communities and are mindful of the challenges we all face together.

For decades, the ESA has served as a landmark environmental law for preventing the extinction of our planet’s most vulnerable animal and plant species. It is with a uniquely qualified perspective that we voice our concerns. Our organizations have worked with government agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for decades to conduct research and outreach focused on endangered, threatened, candidate species, and species of concern, and on the habitats that support these species.

Exempting oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from essential protections under the ESA through an Endangered Species Committee decision sets a dangerous precedent that prioritizes short-term industrial gain over the long-term survival of irreplaceable marine, fresh water, and nearshore ecosystems which our communities depend on. The Gulf of Mexico is home to some of the world’s most endangered species, including the Rice’s whale, which is teetering on the brink of extinction with approximately 50 individuals remaining as of the most recent abundance estimate. These whales are especially vulnerable to oil and gas activities: NMFS estimates that the population declined by as much as 22% due to the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the vessel traffic and seismic surveys associated with oil and gas activities are among the top threats to the species. By circumventing the scientific consultation process required by the ESA, DOI risks further harm to Rice’s whales and other vulnerable Gulf species, including:

• Exacerbating risk without appropriate mitigation measures. The standard review and consultation process to permit projects allows expert agencies, the public, and others to provide important information and develop measures to avoid and reduce harm.

• Irreversible habitat degradation. Increased industrial activity threatens critical feeding and breeding grounds.

• A breakdown of the scientific process. Decisions regarding the survival of a species should be rooted in biology and ecology, not administrative expediency.

• Loss of biodiversity. The health of the Gulf is vital to our global ocean’s resilience and the coastal economies that depend on it.

The Endangered Species Committee, also called “The God Squad” provision, was designed to be a last resort, used only in the most extreme circumstances. Using it to bypass protections for the sake of fossil fuel energy expansion ignores the scientific reality that our ocean, freshwater, and nearshore ecosystems are already under immense stress. The ESA authorizes the Committee to convene only under strict legal and procedural requirements, including transparency and public accountability. Moreover, the Committee may only lawfully meet after either FWS or NMFS has made a formal determination that a proposed federal action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species, and that no reasonable and prudent alternatives to that action exist. Absent these findings, convening the Committee is not consistent with the statutory framework established by Congress.

We urge Secretary Burgum and the Committee to reconsider the implications of these proposed exemptions and to uphold the integrity of the ESA and the legal process established for the convening of the Committee. We remain committed to working with all interested parties to find sustainable and straightforward solutions that do not require the sacrifice of our natural heritage.

Sincerely

Chad Fifer

President and CEO

Aquarium of Niagara

Jeffery Flocken, 

President and CEO

Aquarium of the Pacific

Jennifer Driban

Interim President and CEO

National Aquarium

Kurt Strand

President and CEO

National Mississippi River Museum & 

Aquarium

Julie Miller Rugg 

Executive Director

New Mexico BioPark Society

Margaret Spring

Chief Conservation & Science Officer

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Meg McCann

Acting President and CEO

Seattle Aquarium

CEO Quotes

“Decisions made in this meeting to exempt fossil fuel activity in the Gulf of Mexico from Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibitions could set an extremely dangerous precedent. Not only for future fossil fuel project development, but also for the delisting of species deemed ‘problematic’ by certain special interest groups. Ensuring listing decisions are science-based and transparent is critical to maintain public support for wildlife conservation. We want to make sure the legal processes set out in the ESA continue to be referred to, especially in cases like this.”

• Julie Miller Rugg, Executive Director, New Mexico BioPark Society

About the Aquarium Conservation Partnership

The Aquarium Conservation Partnership is a coalition of aquariums working together to increase our conservation impact. Collectively, our 33 members in 20 states welcome over 40 million visitors a year. ACP members advocate for policy change, advance federal and state conservation policies, mobilize audiences to take action, and demonstrate our commitment to conservation in our business practices.

Our mission is to safeguard ocean and freshwater ecosystems by aligning and supporting the conservation efforts of aquariums for greater collective and individual impact.  

https://www.aquariumconservation.org/