Trump’s ‘God Squad’ pits energy vs. endangered species, but it’s a false choice — protecting wildlife can be good for business

The committee voted to exempt some oil and gas operations from the Endangered Species Act in the name of national security.

By Dan Salas, Director of the Sustainable Landscapes Program, University of Illinois Chicago

Boat strikes can harm or kill whales and are one concern about the oil industry’s environmental impact. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

There’s a well-worn debate in U.S. politics that goes something like this: Would you rather have abundant and affordable energy or a clean, healthy planet where wildlife can flourish?

It sounds like an either/or choice, but it doesn’t have to be.

Many corporate leaders, including those I’ve worked with, know that wildlife conservation can also be good business.

That’s worth remembering after the Trump administration took the rare step of convening a special committee known as the “God Squad” to override one of the nation’s most important environmental protection laws, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, to exempt many U.S. oil and gas industry activities in the Gulf of Mexico.

What is the God Squad?