Navy Asks OK to Harass Whales With Explosions

WASHINGTON (CN) – The U.S. Navy has asked the National Marine Fisheries Service to authorize incidental harassment of marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico during naval readiness activities from December 2009 to December 2014.     The Gulf has populations of many endangered whales, dolphins and the West Indian manatee.      The Navy expects that most of the harassment will be from underwater sound waves caused by munitions explosions during training although it also says there is a small chance of collisions between whales and surface vessels that could result in injury or death for the whale involved.     Click on the document icon beneath “San Joaquin Valley Needs Better Smog Rules,” for additional federal regulations.