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Supremes will hear the Navy’s sonar case

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After years of being tied up by litigation over using sonar that can harm whales, the U.S. Navy finally got what it wanted: A chance for the U.S. Supreme Court to cut the legal legs off these federal environmental cases.

The highest court in the land agreed to take the case that argues that the Navy should step up its safeguards when using sub-hunting sonar in waters containing whales. Arguments will come in the fall and a decision likely to follow next year.

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The case focuses on training of aircraft carrier battle groups in waters off Southern California before they steam off to the Middle East and other hot spots. Federal judges in California have sided repeatedly with the Natural Resources Defense Council and other conservation groups that want the Navy to take more precautions when using sonar that can panic whales, dolphins and other marine mammals.

Although this long-running court fight has gained considerable attention, what’s less known is that this legal action covers only a fraction of the Navy’s use of sonar in Southern Califronia waters. The legal fight focuses only on the official testing and evaluation needed to certify that an aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships are combat ready. Other warships routinely ping the waters in training missions off Southern California without fanfare.

-- Kenneth R. Weiss

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