A little-known federal panel has voted to let oil and gas activity in the Gulf of Mexico bypass key Endangered Species Act protections, a move that could doom Rice's whales. A high-level federal committee known as the "God Squad" convened, and after only 15 minutes, they unanimously approved an exemption for oil and gas activity in the Gulf from Endangered Species Act protections, Vox reported. The Trump administration has scrapped all protectio…