Supreme Court hears case on Navy sonar, whales

[Nambe]

Source: LA Times

The Supreme Court justices sounded closely split today on whether environmental laws can be used to protect whales and other marine mammals from the Navy's use of sonar off the coast of Southern California.

A Bush administration lawyer urged the high court to throw out a Los Angeles judge's order that requires the Navy to turn off its high intensity sonar whenever a whale or dolphin is spotted within 1.2 miles of a ship.

This order disrupts the Navy's war-game exercises, which are "critical to the nation's security," said U.S. Solicitor Gen. Gregory Garre. He also disputed claims that the piercing sound of the sonar causes severe harm to the whales.

But Los Angeles lawyer Richard B. Kendall described the sonar as like the sound of "a jet engine in this room multiplied by 2,000 times." He said beaked whales, in panic, dive deeply to escape the sound, and they sometimes suffer bleeding and even death when they try to resurface. ...

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-scotus9-2008oct09,0,4189669.story

[frebrd]

1. K&R n/t

[GOPNotForMe]

2. I am expecting to be disappointed in this ruling. I hope I am wrong! nt

[The Stranger]

3. 3 more recs for the whales -- come on!

[Nambe]

4. As usual, there is a conspiracy involving the oil companies.

Oil companies use mid-frequency sonar and offshore seismic testing to look for oil and gas. The military, on the other hand, have yet to make a good case for the use of mid and low frequency sonar; even if the U-2 boats rebound in a non-nuclear assault.
The military industrial complex has always insisted oil is a #1 priority for our national security but they fear the public may not like them using our navy for finding black gold. And so to quote the "Bard of Avon", therein lies the barb.

[Hydra]

5. "Might disrupt their wargames"

Are we going to war at sea soon? If not, I think you can play where there aren't any whales or dolphins- and I can vouch for the noise. A simple boat engine is f***ing loud when you are diving, and you can hear it for hundreds of feet more than you can see it.

[blueclown]

6. The 4 stooges will rule in favor of the Bush administration

I think we will see a 5-4 split. Breyer, Ginsburg, Souter and Stevens will likely rule in favor of the NRDC.

It all depends on how Anthony Kennedy votes, IMO.