US Supreme Court Sides With Navy In Whales Sonar Case

In a landmark case, the US Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the US Navy can carry out sonar training exercises off the southern California coast, without safeguards designed to protect whales, dolphins and other marine mammals.

The decision is a major setback for environmentalists, who had hoped the Court would uphold an earlier injunction by a federal judge requiring the navy to take precautions while undertaking submarine-hunting exercises. Environmental groups originally launched the lawsuit claiming that the use of sonar can injure or even kill a wide range of marine species, including sea-lions and endangered blue whales.

Chief Justice Roberts ruled that it was in the ‘public interest’ for the Navy to continue realistic sonar training in response to the threat posed by enemy submarines. The decision follows an earlier intervention by President Bush, who cited the national security necessity of the training and calling for the Navy to be exempted from the prevailing environmental laws.

In the past, the use of sonar has been linked with the mass stranding of whales, as well as hemorrhaging around the brain and ears. As a result of this ruling, it seems likely that we will have to get used to such dismal occurrences for many years to come.

Image Credit - Marshmallow via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license

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