Attention: Fleet Environmental Officer, Building 251, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860
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The navy announced that it was starting a public comment period on Friday, September 14 for the 12 USWEX (UnderSeas Warfare Exercises) that we are contesting in our lawsuit. The comment period runs until October 5, 2007.
This is an unprecedented move as far as we can tell, since the navy announced last February that they had assessed the situation and found that those exercises would have no significant impact on the environment (they issued what is known as a FONSI--a finding of no significant impact). Under the National Environmental Policy Act the navy should have held the public comment period before they issued their determination of no significant impact. The fact that they are having a public comment period after they already issued a FONSI has not happened before to our knowledge. The navy says they may alter their determination based on the public comments.
The comments can essentially be similar to ones that were made on the DEIS for the Hawaii Range Complex as these 12 USWEX exercises are included in the DEIS. (See Below)
International Ocean Noise Coalition
On August 30th 2007 we submitted an official response to the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding usage of active sonar within the Hawaiian range. This is a must read for all of us.
The annual AEI Special Report on noise developments at the IWC meeting is now online: Ten minute run-down on interesting new research discussed in the Scientific Committee and SOCER. Some good stuff on airguns being heard at long distances, details on Taiwan strandings, and a really well received paper that aims to puncture our assumptions about habituation to noise (they say it’s more often individual tolerance levels that is observed).
Sourced: Jim Cummings Executive Director, Acoustic Ecology Institute
May 16, 2007
Honolulu, Hawai‘i – Conservation and animal welfare organizations today filed in Hawai‘i federal district court a legal challenge to the U.S. Navy’s plan to use high-intensity, mid-frequency active sonar in antisubmarine exercises in Hawai‘i’s waters. The planned sonar would emit blasts far louder than levels associated with mass whale strandings and fatalities.
Attorneys from Earthjustice filed suit in Hawai‘i federal district court on behalf of Ocean Mammal Institute, the Animal Welfare Institute, KAHEA, Center for Biological Diversity, and Surfrider Foundation.
