Posted at 2:38 p.m., Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Court orders Navy to reduce effects of sonar on marine life
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has ordered the U.S. Navy to lessen the harm its sonar does to whales and other marine life during exercises off the Southern California coast.The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sent the matter to a trial judge in Los Angeles to figure out exactly how to fix the problem it says is apparent with the sonar. The three-judge panel says the sonars need to be fixed before the Navy's next planned exercise in January.
The appeals court took the action because it said it's likely that a lawsuit filed by the National Resources Defense trying to force the Navy to lessen the harm will succeed.
The appeals court previously tossed out a blanket ban on the naval exercises, ruling that prohibition was too broad.
A similar lawsuit in pending in federal court addressing the Navy's use of sonar in Hawaiian waters.
