Archive: Sonar legal battle

June 24, 2008

Supreme Court to hear case involving Navy sonar and whales

Weighing the balance between military readiness and environmental protection, the Supreme Court said Monday that it would decide whether the U.S. Navy must limit its use of high-powered sonar off the California coast to protect whales and other marine mammals.

March 2, 2008

Court holds Navy to rules safeguarding marine mammals

A federal appeals court has rejected the Bush administration effort to exempt Navy sonar training from key environmental laws, backing up a lower court that imposed extensive safeguards to protect whales and dolphins from harmful sonic blasts.

February 5, 2008

Judge rejects Navy request for sonar training exemption

A federal judge in Los Angeles on Monday rejected the Bush administration's attempt to exempt Navy sonar training from key environmental laws, ruling that there's no real emergency to justify overruling court-ordered protections for whales and dolphins.

January 18, 2008

Judge sets aside some restrictions on sonar

A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday temporarily set aside some of the tough restrictions on upcoming naval exercises off Southern California that employ a type of sonar linked to the injury and death of whales and dolphins.

January 17, 2008

Bush sides with Navy in sonar battle

President Bush on Wednesday moved to exempt Navy sonar training missions off Southern California from complying with key environmental laws, an effort designed to free the military from court-ordered restrictions aimed at protecting whales and dolphins.

January 17, 2008

Points of contention

The Navy said it has developed 29 measures to protect marine mammals from potential harm caused by mid-frequency active sonar, but a federal judge called the mitigation plan "grossly inadequate" and ordered additional safeguards. Some key sticking points:

November 9, 2007

Navy argues for continued use of sonar in training

An attorney for the U.S. Navy urged federal appeals judges Thursday to allow the Navy to continue to use high-powered sonar during training exercises in Southern California waters, saying it would cause only "temporary and minor problems" for whales and dolphins.