Bush Goes Around Court Decision and Puts Whales in Danger: Gives OK to Allow Navy Sonar Training Exercises Linked to Whale Stranding and Deaths

Not surprising at all.

Article:

Bush decision on sonar a blow for whales

New Scientist

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/us/
mg19726403.200-
bush-decision-on-sonar-a-blow-for-whales.html

IT'S not quite full speed ahead and damn the whales, but this week President Bush has given the US navy special dispensation to use sonar in training exercises off the southern California coast, in spite of restrictions imposed by a district court judge to protect marine mammals.

At issue are mid-frequency sonars, which have been linked to whale strandings and deaths, but which the navy considers essential for spotting ultra-quiet diesel-powered submarines. Earlier this month, Judge Florence-Marie Cooper imposed restrictions on sonar training missions in a case filed by the National Resources Defense Council and the California Coastal Commission.

Navy officials appealed to President Bush, who last week exempted the training exercises because of their importance to national security. At the same time, the administration's Council on Environmental Quality allowed the navy to operate without an environmental impact statement. The judge temporarily dropped the two restrictions the navy considered most troublesome - to shut down sonars when marine mammals come within 2 kilometres of the transmitters, and when conditions allow sonar pulses to travel long distances.