Navy Refuses Judge's Order

Citing national security issues, the Navy yesterday refused to handover to a court information about its use of sonars, which an environmental advocacy group says kills whales, the AP reports today.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has sued the Navy to compel it to use sonar in such a way as not to harm whales. U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered the Navy to provide information on when and where it has used sonar since 2003, the AP reported.

The Navy does not dispute whether the sonar may hurt whales, but it claims that it takes precautions, such as looking out for whales. The Congressional Research Service reported last year that Navy sonar had been responsible for six whale deaths and other unusual behavior.