Washington (ECN) - The U.S. Supreme Court began on Wednesday to hear arguments concerning the need to limit the use of sonar during the exercises of the Navy, in order to protect whales and dolphins, as decided several federal courts.
The court is reviewing a ruling that requires the Navy to take various precautions to minimize harm to dozens of species of whales and dolphins.
The four liberal justices of the Supreme Court expressed concern at the failure of the Government to submit a environmental impact statement before it is given to start with sonar training exercises off the coast of southern California.
Environmentalists say that the intense sound waves used in these exercises could harm or even kill whales that are already in danger of extinction, possibly by interfering with diving courses for marine mammals.
During his presentation, the judges seemed to support the Conservative government's argument that judges should defer the trial to the Navy and Bush, and be allowed to continue military exercises with submarines.
After a judge issued a preliminary injunction that imposed numerous restrictions on the Navy, Bush intervened. The president cited the need for national security training for troops and exempted the Navy from environmental laws in the center of the legal requirement.
A U.S. appeals court rejected the effort by the White House to exempt the Navy from these laws, which led the government to appeal to the Supreme Court.
