Federal court rejects Bush stance over Navy sonar use

[Kadie]

Federal court rejects Bush stance over Navy sonar use
2 hours, 50 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A federal court has ruled against President George W. Bush's bid to exempt the Navy from environmental laws when it uses sonar equipment considered potentially harmful to whales and other marine life, according to court documents.

The three-judge panel in the federal appeals court upheld a lower court decision requiring the Navy to take safety precautions to reduce possible harm to whales and other marine mammals when it employs sonar for training exercises off the coast of California.

The court, which handed down its ruling late on Friday, gave the Navy 30 days to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

Environmental groups that took the Bush administration to court over the matter welcomed the ruling as an important precedent.

"The court is saying that neither the President nor the US Navy is above the law," said Joel Reynolds, director of the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080302/sc_afp/usmilitaryenvironment_080302010251

[Double T]

1. If it is DEADLY to the environment, living creatures, natural resources and the planet.........

YOU can be certain bush supports IT!!

[Omaha Steve]

2. Damn liberal judges

K&R!

[wtmusic]

3. Yes. Some GOOD news for a change.

I think I may wet my pants.

[gratuitous]

4. Oh, the Ninth Circuit

Sort of regarded as the short bus of federal appellate circuits. Of course, that is the opinion of the neanderthal Fourth Circuit, the fucknuts Eleventh Circuit and the chuckleheaded Fifth Circuit.

But it's always a dicey proposition for the Bush administration to go to court, because there's always the danger that a judge will read the law, and not just the Bush administration's dumbassed briefs.

[Ghost Dog]

5. Good. But these protection measures are already minimal.

High intensity low frequency active sonar is very very very LOUD and reaches very far.

Any bets on what the Supreme Court's decision will be?

[ClayZ]

6. Yay! K and R