US court grants delay to oil drilling over marine species protection ruling

A US federal court has granted the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) additional time to revise its biological opinion on protecting endangered species from Gulf of Mexico oil drilling. This follows a ruling that the current assessment violated the Endangered Species Act. Environmental groups warn that the five-month delay heightens risks for species  such as the critically endangered Rice’s whale, with fewer than 50 individuals remaining. Industry representatives welcomed the extension, citing potential job and energy supply disruptions if operations were prematurely halted. The revised assessment is now expected by May 2025. (Engineering + Technology)