Not a Navy Fan Today

The Supreme Court looked into a case of Navy sonar exercises and the effect on marine life, most notably whales, today. Some of the little power displays and pulling of rank were quoted when military officials had their feathers ruffled by the fact that their offshore doings might even be subject to court debate, and apparently these officials want to use the "military necessity in time of war" reasoning.

Not surprisingly, "the Bush administration's Council on Environmental Quality declared "emergency circumstances" existed, which the administration argues should dissolve the district court's training limitations." With all the money floating around for the war and war efforts, surely there is a better way for them to train. One that does not involve harming endangered whales, dolphins, and at least 37 other species of marine mammals. When offering justification for the sonar exercises, which sound "2,000 times louder than a jet engine" underwater, "Solicitor General Gregory Garre told the court...that no marine mammals will be killed as a result of these exercises" and went on to say they hear the (sonar) sound, and they go in the opposition direction. It also has some temporary effect on their feeding patterns." Yeah, well scientists say that the effect goes more like this: "sonar use can cause hearing loss, cranial bleeding, behavioral modifications and mass strandings". Sounds much more serious and lethal, and I look to scientists, not military officials, for intelligence concerning marine life.

More examples and scientific accounts of the effect sonar has on whales and other marine life can be found here and here. The blatant denial of facts by such a huge operation is deeply saddening...maybe one day the Navy will stop focusing on it's flawed science claims to justify sonar use, and will instead concentrate on investing in ways to improve their technology while protecting coastlines and marine habitats as well.