Reading Room Document
Application of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the Sale of Sperm Whale Oil by the General Services Administration
The document is a memorandum discussing the application of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the sale of sperm whale oil by the General Services Administration (GSA). The conclusion reached in the document is that the sale and shipment of the sperm whale oil is in violation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and is not covered by any exemption of that Act. The document presents questions regarding the applicability of the Act to the sale of the whale oil, the exemptions provided by the Act, and the potential constitutional implications of the prohibition on the sale. It also raises the question of whether the Government's sale of surplus material should be exempt from the Act.
The OLC's Opinions
Opinions published by the OLC, including those released in response to our FOIA lawsuit