thedrifter
08-07-07, 09:46 AM
August 7, 2007
Judge Limits Navy Sonar, Citing a Threat to Wildlife
By FELICITY BARRINGER
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 6 — A federal judge on Monday ordered the Navy to stop using medium-range sonar in training exercises off Southern California, saying that the Navy’s own assessments predicted that dozens of marine mammals, particularly deep-diving whales, could be harmed by the intense sound waves.
Beaked whales, in particular, have shown great sensitivity to such sonar. Even without the tests, their numbers in the waters off the West Coast are dwindling.
The judge, Florence-Marie Cooper of Federal District Court in Los Angeles, granted a preliminary injunction sought by the Natural Resources Defense Council, noting in a draft order that “mass strandings of whales following naval exercises have been documented” from the Bahamas and the Canary Islands to Greece and Taiwan. The strandings occurred after use of military sonar.
The judge also criticized the Navy for curbing its efforts to mitigate the impact of the sonar exercises, adding, “What few mitigation measures remain continue to be ineffective.”
The Navy has argued that without training on this widely used system, sailors’ ability to detect enemy vessels is severely hampered. Active sonar, at various frequencies, has been developed over the past two decades as diesel engines on military craft became quieter and harder to detect with passive sonar.
Donald R. Schregardus, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for the environment, said, “The decision puts sailors and marines at risk by ordering the Navy to stop critical antisubmarine warfare training while we complete environmental impact statements on our training ranges.”
Joel Reynolds, a senior lawyer and head of marine mammal protection for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, “Whales and other marine life shouldn’t have to die for practice.”
Ellie
Judge Limits Navy Sonar, Citing a Threat to Wildlife
By FELICITY BARRINGER
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 6 — A federal judge on Monday ordered the Navy to stop using medium-range sonar in training exercises off Southern California, saying that the Navy’s own assessments predicted that dozens of marine mammals, particularly deep-diving whales, could be harmed by the intense sound waves.
Beaked whales, in particular, have shown great sensitivity to such sonar. Even without the tests, their numbers in the waters off the West Coast are dwindling.
The judge, Florence-Marie Cooper of Federal District Court in Los Angeles, granted a preliminary injunction sought by the Natural Resources Defense Council, noting in a draft order that “mass strandings of whales following naval exercises have been documented” from the Bahamas and the Canary Islands to Greece and Taiwan. The strandings occurred after use of military sonar.
The judge also criticized the Navy for curbing its efforts to mitigate the impact of the sonar exercises, adding, “What few mitigation measures remain continue to be ineffective.”
The Navy has argued that without training on this widely used system, sailors’ ability to detect enemy vessels is severely hampered. Active sonar, at various frequencies, has been developed over the past two decades as diesel engines on military craft became quieter and harder to detect with passive sonar.
Donald R. Schregardus, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for the environment, said, “The decision puts sailors and marines at risk by ordering the Navy to stop critical antisubmarine warfare training while we complete environmental impact statements on our training ranges.”
Joel Reynolds, a senior lawyer and head of marine mammal protection for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, “Whales and other marine life shouldn’t have to die for practice.”
Ellie