President Donald Trump is pushing to increase logging activities on national forests and other public lands by finding ways to circumvent protections for endangered species. To accomplish this, the federal government would need to activate a committee known as the “God Squad.” This committee, officially called the Endangered Species Committee, has the power to approve federal projects that may result in the extinction of a species protected under the Endangered Species Act if certain conditions are met.
Trump signed actions on Saturday aiming to boost domestic lumber production by directing federal agencies to explore methods to bypass endangered species protections. When he assumed office in January, Trump declared a national energy emergency, instructing this committee to convene at least quarterly to assess exemptions or identify obstacles imposed by the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Endangered Species Act prohibits harming or killing protected species, while the Marine Mammal Protection Act bans the killing and harassment of marine mammals with some exceptions.
The “God Squad” was created in 1978 as a means to grant exemptions from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis suggests that a project offers net economic benefits for the national or regional interest. In the context of logging, the analysis should weigh the benefits of cutting trees against the economic value of benefits such as watershed protection provided by standing forests. The committee comprises seven members, including the Secretary of the Interior, and requires five votes for an exemption.
The committee can only be convened by the Secretary of the Interior for a particular project if it has been determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service that the project would endanger a protected species. It cannot be used proactively to bypass protections, contrary to Trump’s suggestions.
Historically, the committee has granted exemptions only twice. The first was for building a dam on the Platte River, which was critical habitat for whooping cranes, but a settlement provided protections that enhanced the ecosystem and improved crane populations. The second incident involved granting permission for logging in habitat areas critical to the northern spotted owl during the George H.W. Bush administration. However, this was retracted under the Clinton administration following legal challenges by environmental groups alleging procedural violations.
The “God Squad” is not a mechanism that can be legally convened to provide blanket exemptions but is limited to specific circumstances following thorough environmental reviews. This remains a significant constraint on efforts to increase logging on public lands.
