Supreme Court Chooses Navy Over Whales

categories: Marine Life, Politics and Law, Wildlife/FreeLiving Animals

Published November 12, 2008 @ 10:12AM PT

Whales beached in North Carolina following Navy exercises in 2005 Everyone together now for a big, collective "What the hell?!"

Remember this post: The Whales vs. the Navy at the Supreme Court? Well, the decision is in. And it stinks. Like what, you ask? Like a Supreme Court with two too many Bush appointees, for one thing.

AP (via SFGate.com):

The Supreme Court on Wednesday lifted restrictions on the Navy's use of sonar in training exercises off the California coast. . . .

The overall public interest tips "strongly in favor of the Navy," Roberts wrote. He said the most serious possible injury would be harm to an unknown number of the marine mammals.

Treehugger:

In the Supreme Court hearing, the majority opinion written by Justice Roberts stated that these federal courts [who had restricted sonar to protect the whales] abused their discretionary power and felt Navy operations were more important than marine mammal health.

Treehugger: "Whales 0, Navy 1"

San Francisco Chronicle: "Court rules for Navy in dispute over sonar, whales"

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Comments (4)

Just because the Supreme Court made its ruling, doesn't mean we have to or should stop petitioning the US Navy to change their procedures. Please visit the action I posted yesterday before even knowing the verdict, to write to the Naval Secretary expressing our concerns. It's more urgent than ever now that we follow up on this ruling to let our opinions be heard!!

Posted by Joan F on 11/12/2008 @ 11:35AM PT
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You're certainly right, Joan. There's a previous action up on this topic too: http://animalrights.change.org/actions/view/tell_the_us_navy_to_lay_off_the_whales

And when we get a new Secretary of the Navy, he or she will be hearing from the NRDC and all of us too. :)

Posted by Stephanie Ernst on 11/12/2008 @ 11:47AM PT
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Navy Wins!!! Thank goodness there is still some common sense in the country.

Posted by Phil Rautine on 11/12/2008 @ 06:07PM PT
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It's so hard to tell in writing, but I'm sure that was sarcasm, Phil...

Posted by Joan F on 11/12/2008 @ 07:05PM PT
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.