**Court Ruling Demands Enhanced Protection for Rice’s Whales from Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling**
In a significant move, a US District Court for the District of Maryland has ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must revise its biological opinion on the impact of oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico on endangered species, particularly the Rice’s whale. This decision underscores the need for more comprehensive measures to safeguard the ecosystem from the detrimental effects of such activities.
The court’s August 19 judgment, part of the case **Sierra Club v. NMFS**, found the existing biological opinion to be inadequate. The opinion failed to properly assess the risks and harms associated with oil spills to protected species. Specifically, it underestimated the impact of the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which significantly diminished the populations of the Rice’s whale and other listed species. The court also criticized the NMFS for addressing only two of the five identified stressors likely to jeopardize the Rice’s whale and for not explaining how mitigation measures would effectively protect the species.
Rice’s whales, listed as endangered, are vulnerable to oil spills and other hazards related to offshore drilling. TheDeepwater Horizon disaster alone is estimated to have reduced their population by nearly 20%. Additionally, the whales face threats from ship strikes due to their tendency to bask near the surface, and underwater blasting from seismic air guns interferes with their sonar, affecting their ability to communicate and care for their young.
Environmental groups have long advocated for stronger protections. The court’s decision is hailed as a success by these groups, which argue that the NMFS must now craft a revised biological opinion that adequately evaluates the devastating impact of offshore oil drilling on marine species. Chris Eaton, Senior Attorney with Earthjustice’s Oceans Program, stated: “This decision means the Fisheries Service must comply with the law to put in place meaningful safeguards for the Gulf’s rarest marine species”.
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