Washington D.C. — May 16, 2026 — In honor of Endangered Species Day, hundreds of people rallied across the nation in coordinated rallies on May 16th to oppose the federal government’s recent decision to exempt the oil and gas industry from having to follow any conservation measures under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Thirteen rallies took place in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts, and California, where environmental advocates and community members joined the demonstrations to demand that the administration protect two dozen threatened and endangered species.
The rallies came in direct response to the March 31 decision by the Endangered Species Committee, commonly known as the “God Squad,” which voted unanimously to exempt oil and gas activities in the Gulf from the ESA. The stakes are enormous and this exemption comes as we await the Trump administration’s new offshore drilling lease plan which could open waters in the Eastern Gulf to new drilling. This draft plan would dramatically increase offshore drilling in the Gulf at the same time the Trump administration is rolling back post-Deepwater Horizon safety rules and slashing oil spill response capacity. Meanwhile, a recent spill in federal waters is still impacting Louisiana’s fishing industry and Gulf communities.
Taking place the week of Endangered Species Day, an annual observation dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable wildlife and promoting conservation efforts, the coordinated actions reflect growing public outrage over federal efforts to weaken environmental protections. The Gulf is home to the critically endangered Rice’s whale, sea turtles, manatees, and so many other species that must remain protected. Today, only 51 Rice’s whales remain, a species NOAA calls “one of the rarest whales in the world,” and one found nowhere else but the Gulf. All of the Gulf species are now at critical risk from vessel strikes, seismic blasting, and oil spills.
“The Gulf is home to more than 20 endangered and threatened species, and it is unacceptable that a committee that met for merely 15 minutes can decide that the potential extinction of these species is a fair price for the world to pay on behalf of the US oil and gas industry,” said Tommy Tucker, marine life field coordinator at the Endangered Species Coalition. “Rice’s whales, one of the rarest whale species on Earth, deserve strong protection in their only home–the Gulf of Mexico. From elkhorn coral and Kemp’s ridley turtles to queen conchs and Nassau grouper, our Gulf species deserve to be safe and protected in their habitat for the many, not sacrificed for further exploitation of the Gulf to benefit the few.”
“Across more than eight Save Our Shores actions this weekend, Floridians turned out on street corners, at farmers markets, and on our beaches to make one thing abundantly clear: we are united against offshore drilling, attacks on the Endangered Species Act, and corporate polluters who put profits before people. From the Rice’s whale to our coastal communities, we are fighting for clean water, healthy wildlife, and a Gulf that can endure for generations to come,” said Michael McGrath, Lead Organizer with Sierra Club Florida.
“The people of northwest Florida strongly support Gulf wildlife, and they showed that on Saturday as they gathered on Pensacola Beach with education, live music and art all devoted to protecting endangered species,” said Christian Wagley of Healthy Gulf, lead organizer of the Pensacola Beach Rally. “We love our manatees, sea turtles and whales in Florida, and the decision to remove protections from oil and gas drilling for endangered Gulf animals is deeply unpopular.”
“It’s one ocean and what happens in the Gulf matters everywhere. Obviously, it is a tragedy, the total lack of regard for the critical and unique species there,” said Aidan Greenwald, a California resident and organizer. “But it’s also a clear threat to plants and animals across the United States. We need to protect our most vulnerable and precious species.”
“Here on Cape Cod, we rally in unity with Gulf communities and to advocate for the protection of all endangered species and the waters they inhabit. We don’t want the March 31st decision to set a precedent that any and all U.S. waters can be stripped of invaluable protections for the most vulnerable of marine life” said Jess McCoppin, a whale researcher in Massachusetts. “Talking with locals and tourists today made it clear that people across the country care about these species and want our oceans to support diverse wildlife for generations to come.”
These rallies are a part of a broader national effort to defend environmental protections and hold this administration accountable for their decisions that negatively impact coastal communities, the economy, and the health of the ocean.
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The Endangered Species Coalition is a national coalition of 475 member organizations and 525,000+ activists working together to protect and recover at-risk threatened and endangered species and to defend the Endangered Species Act and other wildlife laws and policies.