Sonar kills whales, but the Navy wants to use sonar in exercises to prove strike group readiness, because sonar also (indirectly) kills submarines. Some discussion of this came up last year in response to a Marc Kaufman article on the effects of sonar on whale populations. Specifically, the Navy wants to conduct sonar exercises off the coast of Southern California, because of coastal conditions and because the multiple bases and airfields in Southern Cal afford the opportunity for particularly intense exercises. Because of the potential threat to whale populations, the exercise plans came into some conflict with the Coastal Zone Management Act and the National Environmental Protection Act. Earlier this month, a federal court established strict restrictions on the Navy's ability to conduct these exercises. The president, however, has determined that these restrictions threaten national security. Accordingly, the Navy doesn't have to abide by them. In its defense, the Navy does take some measures to prevent damage to whale populations, and its argument about the necessity of sonar training isn't absurd on its face. I suspect, however, that the whales will draw little comfort from the fact that the sonar we're killing them with is protecting their freedom. --Robert Farley
