Navy banned from sonar use in California

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Los Angeles has issued a preliminary injunction to prevent the U.S. Navy from using high-powered sonar in Southern California.

U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper sided with the Natural Resources Defense Council, which brought the suit, saying use of the sonar during upcoming training exercises could "cause irreparable harm to the environment," the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The Natural Resources Defense Council had argued in the suit powerful blasts of mid-frequency active sonar have been tied to panicked behavior in marine mammals and mass die-offs of whales.

"Just as the Army has a responsibility not to train soldiers to shoot in the middle of a crowded city street, the Navy has a duty, when it's learning how to hunt with sonar, not to choose a practice range next to a marine sanctuary," Joel Reynolds, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said after the ruling.

However, Navy officials say even a temporary ban on using the sonar system would deprive sailors of critical training they may need to detect hostile vessels.