I suspect some of you will find this heartening while others
will see it as not-necessary, misunderstanding, and a case
of non-realistic environment concerns getting in the way
of progress and national defense.

In any case, this has been discussed here somewhat in the past
so it may interest people.



Dear NRDC BioGems Defender,

A federal court has just handed down its decision in our case against the
U.S.
Navy and I wanted you to be the first to hear the great news. In a
resounding
victory for whales and other marine mammals, the court ruled that it will
bar
the Navy from deploying its high-intensity LFA sonar system across most of
the
world's oceans.

The LFA (Low Frequency Active) sonar system would have blasted hundreds of
thousands of square miles of ocean habitat with noise so intense it can
maim,
deafen and even kill whales. In her historic ruling, Judge LaPorte agreed
with
NRDC that the sonar's booming noise could "irreparably harm" the marine
environment and threaten the very survival of endangered populations of
whales,
sea turtles and other marine species.

Judge LaPorte has ordered the Navy to begin negotiations with NRDC on a
plan
for safely testing the sonar system in a limited area.

This is truly a banner day for the Earth's environment. The court has
granted a
life-saving reprieve to dozens of species of magnificent marine mammals.
But
its ruling also sends a message loud and clear to the White House that it
is
not above our nation's environmental laws. The Bush administration trampled
all
over those laws when it gave the Navy a blank check to operate the deadly
LFA
sonar system virtually anywhere in the world.

It's also a banner day for hundreds of thousands of NRDC members and
activists
like you. When we began this fight eight years ago, we were told that our
chances of stopping the military's classified LFA program were slim to
none.
But that conventional wisdom seriously underestimated the collective power
of a
determined citizenry.

Your financial contributions and online activism fueled an NRDC legal
strategy
that prevailed, in the end, over the world's most powerful military
establishment. There is no finer example of democracy in action.

The fight to protect our oceans against high-intensity sonar is not over.
The
Navy could appeal the court's ruling. And right now the Bush administration
is
trying to get exemptions for the Navy from some of the very environmental
laws
NRDC used to block deployment of the LFA system. With your help, NRDC will
do
everything it can to ensure that these efforts do not succeed.

But all that lies ahead. For today, at least, we've won a significant
victory,
one worth savoring and celebrating. On behalf of our entire legal team, I
want
to thank you for coming to the defense of marine mammals around the world.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

NRDC Press Release: http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/030826.asp
Washington Post story: http://www.nrdc.org/news/newsDetails.asp?nID=1075

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

I suspect some of you will find this heartening while others
will see it as not-necessary, misunderstanding, and a case
of non-realistic environment concerns getting in the way
of progress and national defense.

Why are the environmental concerns "non-realistic"?

Doug,

I don't think they are "non-realistic" at all. My own view is I'm glad
for this ruling. From what I've read it seems this sonar was likely
causing animals distress. And while I don't know the exact uses
of the sonar, it sure seems to me our Navy, surface or sub, is in
much competition.

But I know some people see almost all environmental concerns as
false and not real issues. I was trying to post to be informative and
see comment rather than push any particular view.

That all.
Gary

It's a bit of bright news...among the gloom from Iraq.


Gary Warner wrote in message
...

Doug,

I don't think they are "non-realistic" at all. My own view is I'm glad
for this ruling. From what I've read it seems this sonar was likely
causing animals distress. And while I don't know the exact uses
of the sonar, it sure seems to me our Navy, surface or sub, is in
much competition.

But I know some people see almost all environmental concerns as
false and not real issues. I was trying to post to be informative and
see comment rather than push any particular view.

That all.
Gary

Sorry. I read your words too quickly, in between phonecalls and other
annoyances. :-)

"Gary Warner" wrote in message
...

Doug,

I don't think they are "non-realistic" at all. My own view is I'm glad
for this ruling. From what I've read it seems this sonar was likely
causing animals distress. And while I don't know the exact uses
of the sonar, it sure seems to me our Navy, surface or sub, is in
much competition.

But I know some people see almost all environmental concerns as
false and not real issues. I was trying to post to be informative and
see comment rather than push any particular view.

That all.
Gary