Bush exempts Navy from environmental law protecting SoCal whales from sonar

[bigtree]

Wed, Jan. 16, 2008
Associated Press

Conservationists on Wednesday blasted President Bush's decision to exempt the Navy from an environmental law so it can continue using high-power sonar in its training off Southern California - a practice they say harms whales and other marine mammals.

The president's action by itself won't allow the anti-submarine warfare training to go forward because an injunction is in place, but the Navy believes it will significantly strengthen its argument in court. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is expected to make a determination on the future of the Navy exercises on Friday.

The White House announced Bush signed the exemption Tuesday while traveling in the Middle East. In his memorandum, Bush said the Navy training exercises "are in the paramount interest of the United States" and its national security.

Peter Douglas, the executive director of the California Coastal Commission, which joined in the lawsuit to provide the mammals greater protections from sonar, called the exemption unprecedented in California.

"I'm not surprised at all," he said. "It's typical for this Republican administration to ignore environmental protections under the banner of fear."

{snip}

"The president's action is an attack on the rule of law," said Joel Reynolds, director of the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Santa Monica. "By exempting the Navy from basic safeguards under both federal and state law, the president is flouting the will of Congress, the decision of the California Coastal Commission and a ruling by the federal court."

A federal judge in Los Angeles issued a preliminary injunction this month requiring the Navy to create a 12-nautical-mile, no-sonar zone along the Southern California coast and to post trained lookouts to watch for marine mammals before and during exercises. Sonar would have to be shut down when mammals were spotted within 2,200 yards, under the order.

The court found that using mid-frequency active sonar violated the Coastal Zone Management Act and Bush exempted the Navy from a section of that act. Complying with the environmental law would "undermine the Navy's ability to conduct realistic training exercises that are necessary to ensure the combat effectiveness of carrier and expeditionary strike groups," Bush said.

report: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/AP/story/381448.html

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO PLAY A TRUMPET IN YOUR EAR????

MILITARY ONLY DESTROYS THINGS

[nosmokes]

2. Where does the pres get the power to *exempt* the Navy or anthing or anyone

from a law or a court order?It's not in the Constitution. The Pres doesn't have the singular power to over-rule either of the other two branches, I don't give a damn what Dick Cheney says.

[Pavulon]

3. Exempt from EEOC and other laws

No ladies in submarine mos for example. Not saying this is right but it has been done before.

[hayu_lol]

5. UT OH...Bush had better be careful...

In the spring, Greenpeace just might catch him out in his cigarette boat.

With his anchor fouled.

[nosmokes]

6. But that's been approved by the Courts and or Congress, yes?

It was simply an exec order from the WH that did that. It was at least a two outta three thumbs up.

[Disturbed]

4. "The Pres doesn't have the singular power to over-rule

either of the other two branches..."

We shall see if this Pres. does have that power.

[riverdeep]

7. Who's gonna stop him?

They don't even want to charge him with blatantly obvious destruction that happens right out in the open, what makes anyone think they're going to stand in his way with respect to animals? The only animal he cares about is his own chimpster self.