In Hawaii, five environmental groups are suing the navy for its use of high-intensity sonar during anti-submarine training exercises, that are heavily harmful to whales, dolphins and marine mammals. The lawsuit plans to "stop the Navy from doing its sonar exercises until it complies with environmental laws they are violating," confirmed Paul Achitoff, the Earthjustice attorney representing the coalition comprising of the Ocean Mammal Institute, the Animal Welfare Institute, KAHEA (the Hawaiian Environmental Alliance), the Center for Biological Diversity and the Surfrider Foundation.The navy plans 12 anti-submarine combat exercises in the next year, despite ample evidence in the last few years of the harmful effects of sonar that leads to the death of marine mammals. Sonar leads to countless deaths of whales and dolphins by damaging their hearing. Plus, a congressional report found last year that the Navy's sonar training activities have been held responsible for at least 6 cases of mass death and stranding of whales in the last 10 years.
Why such ignorance and blind lack of concern?Come on, people! Where is the Endangered Species Act? Is it not enough that terrestrial wildlife habitats are being ravaged in the name of defense, security and justice? Must life in the oceans suffer too?
3 comments:
Which countries are planning to attack the USA with submarines anyway? Iran?
This is obviously just a make-work project by the US Navy. And the gentle giants of the sea will pay the price for American paranoia.
Its quite disturbing to see how much money and resources in the US are wasted in the name of defense. This is just one more example. I have a feeling this country would be a lot more safer if it spent lesser on defense and a bit more on diplomacy.
Anon and N: it is indeed sad that the vitality of these creatures and their populations are at peril because of our activities... hopefully, the situation in Hawaii will be stabilized after an agreement is reached between the Navy and the conservation groups.
N: well put :)
Post a Comment