News - Monday, February 4, 2008 21:41 - 0 Comments

Judge to Navy: Limit sonar training

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — The Navy must follow environmental laws placing strict limits on sonar training that opponents argue harms whales, despite President Bush’s decision to exempt it, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The Navy is not “exempted from compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act” and a court injunction creating a 12 nautical-mile no-sonar zone off Southern California, U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper wrote in a 36-page decision.

“We disagree with the (exemption) judge’s decision,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. “We believe the (exemption) orders are legal and appropriate.”

Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Cindy Moore said the military was studying the decision.

Full story at CNN