In an amicus brief filed on July 21, 2026, a bipartisan coalition of experts with decades of experience in national security and environmental protection countered the Pentagon’s claim in Healthy Gulf v. Burgum that it needs to use a national security exemption in the Environmental Protection Act to drill for oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico. The group, including CERL Executive Board Member Alberto Mora, argues that the interagency process in place for balancing national security concerns with protection for endangered species is robust and does not need to be bypassed.

Alberto Mora served as the American Bar Association’s Associate Executive Director for Global Programs from 2018 to 2022 and General Counsel of the Department of the Navy from 2001 to 2006. He is also a member of CERL’s Executive Board.

The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of any organization or university.