H.R. 6008, known as the R.I.C.E.'s Whale Act, aims to block certain federal restrictions on oil and gas activity in the Gulf of Mexico that were put in place to protect the endangered Rice's whale. The bill would prevent agencies from enforcing recent measures, such as excluding certain acreage from a 2023 lease sale and imposing vessel-speed restrictions, until wildlife regulators complete a new scientific study and revised consultation process. This affects federal agencies like the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, as well as oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf, and energy-producing Gulf states including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The bill requires a National Academies of Science study on the whale's range and mandates a more rigorous, transparent rulemaking process—including economic impact analysis, public comment periods, and quarterly stakeholder meetings—before new restrictions can take effect. No specific funding amounts or deadlines are set, but the law would remain in effect until agencies complete all the specified scientific and regulatory steps.
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