BBC – The US Navy has been ordered not to use mid-frequency<\/p>\n
sonar<\/p>\n
equipment during training exercises off the coast of<\/p>\n
California until<\/p>\n
the end of 2009.<\/p>\n
A federal judge ruled in favor of campaigners who argued<\/p>\n
that the<\/p>\n
devices harmed marine mammals in the area. They said noise<\/p>\n
pollution<\/p>\n
from sonar disorientated whales, causing them to become<\/p>\n
stranded on<\/p>\n
beaches. A navy spokesman said they would appeal because<\/p>\n
the injunction<\/p>\n
jeopardized the nation’s safety and security. The legal<\/p>\n
action was<\/p>\n
brought by a coalition of animal welfare groups, led by the<\/p>\n
Natural<\/p>\n
Resources Defense Council. . . US District Judge<\/p>\n
Florence-Marie Cooper<\/p>\n
issued the temporary sonar ban following the navy’s request<\/p>\n
to dismiss a<\/p>\n
lawsuit filed by the NRDC in March, which alleged the<\/p>\n
widespread use of<\/p>\n
high-intensity sonar during training exercises breached<\/p>\n
environmental<\/p>\n
legislation.<\/p>\n