Why the Rice's whale in the Gulf of Mexico is creating a stir in Congress

[Judi Lynn]

Updated: Oct. 02, 2023, 5:51 p.m.|Published: Oct. 02, 2023, 4:59 p.m.


By John Sharp | [e-mail]

Fewer than 100 Rice’s whales exist in the Gulf of Mexico, making it one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth.

Its continued existence is threatened by offshore energy production, environmentalists say, and a push is underway to limit offshore oil and gas leases from further threatening their reduced habitat.

Discovered only two years ago, the 60,000-pounds whale’s fate is thrust into a hot political debate over offshore energy activity that pits environmental interests and the Biden Administration against energy producers and Republicans in Congress who represent the Gulf Coast states.

WHALE Act
The latest issue revolves around the introduction Monday of federal legislation in the Senate called the Wading Off Hostile Administrative Leader Efforts (WHALE) Act. That bill, sponsored by Republicans including Alabama Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, prevents the U.S. Department of Commerce and Interior from issuing maritime rules related to the Rice’s whale.

That includes implementing restrictions on vessel speeds, which environmental organizations say are necessary to prevent one of the whale’s No. 1 killers: Vessel strikes.

More:
https://www.al.com/news/2023/10/why-the-rices-whale-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-is-creating-a-stir-in-congress.html




Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville

(Middle 2 people)