A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to stop the US navy using sonar during training near Hawaii because it might hurt or even kill whales and other marine mammals.
The US District Court Central District of California said the Natural Resources Defense Council, which sought the injunction, offered "considerable convincing scientific evidence" showing military sonar can harm marine animals.
The Defense Department exempted the navy on Friday from a whale-protection law in response to the Defense Council's legal challenge. But the court said the navy may not have fulfilled requirements under other environmental laws.
"Fortunately this country has more than one law against the needless infliction of harm to endangered whales and the environment," said Joel Reynolds, lawyer for the environmental group.
The restraining order stops the Navy from using a type of high-intensity sonar in the "Rim of the Pacific" (RIMPAC) 2006 anti-submarine warfare training exercise, pending a July 18th hearing where the navy can argue against the injunction.
RIMPAC 2006 involves eight countries - Australia, Britain, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, South Korea and the United States - and more than 40 ships, six submarines, 160 aircraft and thousands of military personnel.
Last week, the Defense Department, for the first time, exempted the Navy for six months from the Marine Mammal Protection Act, nullifying challenges by the environmental group under that law.
But challenges under the National Environmental Policy Act remained, and the court said the Navy may not have fulfilled obligations under that statute.