Obama Fails to Protect Right Whales

The Administration promised conservationists it would protect marine life from the Navy's lethal use of mid frequency range sonar after the Supremes approved an exemption from environmental laws on national security grounds.  But the Navy is not on the same page, and is preparing to build a sonar training ground just outside the only known calving ground for the critically endangered right whale.  Only about 300 Atlantic wright whales remain.  Environmentalists were successful in getting marine speed limits and re-routing shipping lanes off the Massachusetts coast to protect the mammals on their migration south to northeastern Florida calving grounds{"right whales"}.  The proposed range, spanning 500 nautical miles, may be crisscrossed with acoustic devices and cables emitting sound shown to be lethal to marine mammals.  The Navy chose the site without conducting the most basic research on biological impacts of its proposed plans.  Once again the US military exhibits its almost autistic disregard for the environment.  NRDC is attempting to block the Navy's plans in federal court.  The Administration made a commitment to identify sensitive habitat where mid-frequency sonar endangers whales, dolphins and porpoises, but it apparently failed to get the Navy on board.