Gray whales are starving as the Arctic warms. Will the US protect them?

This story is outside what Retrofit Relay covers — it's about gray whale populations and endangered species policy, not home energy upgrades, weatherization, or rebates. There's no angle here that connects to insulation, heat pumps, air sealing, or utility programs, so there's nothing actionable to summarize for a homeowner planning efficiency work on their house.

For context, though: scientists and officials met in Oregon recently because gray whale numbers along the West Coast have fallen by half in the last decade, with 187 whales found dead this past summer. Researchers think warming in the Arctic is shrinking the small crustaceans whales feed on, leaving them too weak to complete their migration between Alaska and Mexico. The whales lost federal endangered species protection back in 1994 after recovering from historic whaling losses, but conservation groups have now petitioned to have them relisted. The Trump administration missed the legal deadline to respond, and three groups have filed notice they intend to sue if there's no response within two months. Separate from the listing fight, some projects are asking cargo ships to slow down near whale hotspots like the San Francisco Bay, since ship strikes are a major cause of death for malnourished whales.

None of this affects home energy costs, appliance rebates, or upgrade planning, so there isn't a homeowner-relevant thread to pull out.