Gulf of Mexico Whale

Protection of the endangered Rice's whale came a step closer Thursday with an agreement to temporarily enact a speed limit for some vessels in the western Gulf of Mexico. Backers of the deal hope to make it permanent.

"These agencies are basically pretending that another catastrophic oil spill cannot possibly occur, cannot possibly be a risk for the Gulf of Mexico. And we know that that risk is real, and they need to be paying attention to that," said Chris Eaton, Earthjustice attorney.

On the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act last month, a group of scientists asked the federal government for protection and funds for recovery of Rice’s whales.

The Rice's whale can grow to 42 feet and is critically endangered, with fewer than 100 left.