Natural Resources Law – Environmental and Energy Law Program

EELP News

An Endangered Species Act Exemption Reveals Distrust of Process, Congress, and Courts

Why the Endangered Species Committee’s decision is so unusual and potential consequences of the exemption.

April 27, 2026

Regulatory Tracker

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Oil and Gas Development

In October 2025, BLM reinstituted a Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program which opened the 1.56 million acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing.

April 20, 2026

Regulatory Tracker

Oil and Gas Development in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve

The Bureau of Land Management replaced the 2024 rule regulating management of the NPR-A with the prior rule, promulgated in 1977, and approved a new Integrated Activity Plan, reopening almost 82% of the reserve to oil and gas leasing.

April 14, 2026

CleanLaw Podcast

CleanLaw — The ‘God Squad’s’ Unprecedented National Security Exemption

What will the decision to exempt all oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act look like?

April 9, 2026

Regulatory Tracker

Marine National Monuments & Marine Sanctuaries

President Trump signed a proclamation opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.

April 6, 2026

Quick Takes

Endangered Species Committee Exempts Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf Based on National Security Finding

Security determination states that effects of litigation by environmental organizations causes uncertainty that threatens military operations and readiness.

April 3, 2026

Regulatory Tracker

National Monuments

The Biden administration designated and expanded national monuments. The Trump DOI has slated these for rollback.

April 1, 2026

Regulatory Tracker

Endangered Species Act Regulations

Trump administration issued its first proposed rollback to ESA and issued a rare exemption in the Gulf of Mexico that faces litigation.

March 31, 2026

Legal Analysis

When National Security Meets Endangered Species: Uncharted Legal Territory in the Gulf of Mexico

The Trump administration plans to invoke never-before-used ESA national security exemption.

March 30, 2026