Group Sues to Block Navy Sonar

AP ^ | August 8, 2002 | COLLEEN VALLES

[robowombat]

Group Sues to Block Navy Sonar

By COLLEEN VALLES Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Environmentalists have taken aim at a powerful low-frequency sonar system used by the U.S. Navy, which they say can strand, or even kill, marine mammals.

A coalition of environmental groups led by the Natural Resources Defense Council sued the Navy and the National Marine Fisheries Service in federal court Wednesday to block the use of the system, which identifies enemy submarines. The groups say the sonar can interfere with marine mammals' communication systems.

In July, the fisheries service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, gave the Navy a five-year exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

``Despite the public and scientific outcry, the National Marine Fisheries Service, under whatever pressure, has licensed the U.S. Navy to basically break the law,'' said Jean-Michel Cousteau, founder and president of Ocean Futures Society, a plaintiff in the case. ``It is a license to kill.''

The Navy says it's invested more than $10 million to develop appropriate guidelines to use the sonar system.

``We are disappointed that some groups refuse to accept scientific peer-reviewed findings and instead rely on misinformation and unrelated facts to try to prevent the use of this system,'' Navy Lt. Cmdr. Pauline Storum said Wednesday.

Gordon Helm, spokesman for the fisheries service, said the agency has required the Navy to comply with some restrictions, such as not deploying the sonar within 12 nautical miles of the coast.

``We consider (the impact) to be negligible. If we find out differently we can halt the authorization,'' he said.

Those trying to stop the sonar, which is to be used across 75 percent of the world's oceans, say not enough is known about the effect on whales and dolphins. They fear it can disrupt feeding, breeding, nursing, communication and other behaviors.

``The organisms we're talking about have in their heads a system for seeing with sound that's just as good as our system for seeing with light,'' said George Woodwell, director of Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. ``If we flood the oceans with sound that has enormous energy, we're killing them.''

Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Humane Society, said scientists are concerned that sounds as intense as those expected to come from the Navy's sonar could deafen animals, give them the bends or cause ``resonance'' — the ability of sound to tear body tissue much like an opera singer can shatter glass.

Cousteau also warned that the sonar could affect humans, such as scuba divers, who might be nearby.

Environmentalists note that within hours after the Navy deployed a powerful mid-range sonar near the Bahamas in 2000, at least 16 whales and two dolphins beached themselves. Scientists found hemorrhaging around the brain and ear bones — injuries consistent with exposure to extremely loud sounds. Eight whales died.

The Humane Society, the League for Coastal Protection and the Cetacean Society International also are plaintiffs in the suit.

———

On the Net:

Natural Resources Defense Council: http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/marine/nlfa.asp

U.S. Navy SURTASS LFA sonar: http://www.surtass-lfa-eis.com/

National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov

[robowombat]

Environentos find discomforting dolphins to be a greater threat than any damage that might be done to national defense by their dopey law suit. A foretaste of what animal rights will bring.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Environmentalists have taken aim at a powerful low-frequency sonar system used by the U.S. Navy, which they say can strand, or even kill, marine mammals.

Presumably, this sonar was NOT USED during Clinton's administration.

Need your Ping power to spread the word that NRDC, et al, will not stop until our forests have been burned to the ground, our armed forces have been neutered and our way of life destroyed.

[Ole Okie]

Don't these people have anything useful to do?

Well, obviously not.

[Grampa Dave]

When Ron Reagan destroyed the USSR, the life long commies just became watermelons, green on the outside and red inside. Then they continued to work to destroy America under the Green Color instead of the commy red color.

They hate America, Americans, our military and capitalism. They work 24/7/365 to destroy America.

This is another example of why a conservative can not be a green in America.

It is time for all of America to wake up and remove these Watermelons from power. Then jail those who hate America and have links to the Islamic Jihadists. Each day it gets harder to differentiate between Islamic Jihadists and the Greens who hate America.

[MeekOneGOP]

Group Sues to Block Navy Sonar

Excerpt:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Environmentalists have taken aim at a powerful low-frequency sonar system used by the U.S. Navy, which they say can strand, or even kill, marine mammals.

A coalition of environmental groups led by the Natural Resources Defense Council sued the Navy and the National Marine Fisheries Service in federal court Wednesday to block the use of the system, which identifies enemy submarines. The groups say the sonar can interfere with marine mammals' communication systems.

In July, the fisheries service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, gave the Navy a five-year exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

``Despite the public and scientific outcry, the National Marine Fisheries Service, under whatever pressure, has licensed the U.S. Navy to basically break the law,'' said Jean-Michel Cousteau, founder and president of Ocean Futures Society, a plaintiff in the case. ``It is a license to kill.''

The Navy says it's invested more than $10 million to develop appropriate guidelines to use the sonar system.

``We are disappointed that some groups refuse to accept scientific peer-reviewed findings and instead rely on misinformation and unrelated facts to try to prevent the use of this system,'' Navy Lt. Cmdr. Pauline Storum said Wednesday.

---

EnviroNazis doing what they do best (Lie) Alert!

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[Jen]

Bump and a Ping.

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers! Thanks for the heads up!

[kaktuskid]

Tuna just isn't the same since they took the dolphin out of it...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Ack! Thanks for the ping, Meek. Why isn't this "fraud," "malicious mischief," "threat to national security"...something? This kind of nutty story maybe would show up in a tabloid rag 50 years ago. Americans who loved their country and respected the truth wouldn't give today's enviraliars the time of day, nor tolerate this attention from the press.

[Non-Sequitur]

Environmentalists note that within hours after the Navy deployed a powerful mid-range sonar near the Bahamas in 2000, at least 16 whales and two dolphins beached themselves.

That was during the Clinton administration.

[CyberAnt]

Yeah well ... when a bomb explodes in their port and blows up their seaside home - maybe they will change their minds. I know, I know ... it's doubtful!

[hove]

Hell yeah! We should eat all of the whales and dolphins until they're gone! All that food going to waste....beaching themselves cause they can't stand the racket. The Japanese feel my pain.....I'm sure.

[oyez]

I think national security has the evge here.

[BOBTHENAILER]

That was during the Clinton administration.

Another one of those inconvenient facts. Naturally it wasn't discussed during the most ethical administration ever, the most environmentally friendly admin ever.