Bu$h Exempts Navy from Environmental Law

[mod mom]

Bush Exempts Navy From Environmental Law

PAULINE JELINEK | January 16, 2008 01:00 PM EST |


WASHINGTON — President Bush exempted the Navy from an environmental law so it can continue using sonar in its anti-submarine warfare training off the California coast _ a practice critics say is harmful to whales and other marine mammals.

The White House announced Wednesday that Bush had signed the exemption Tuesday while traveling in the Middle East.

The Navy training exercises, including the use of sonar, "are in the paramount interest of the United States" and its national security, Bush said in a memorandum.

"This exemption will enable the Navy to train effectively and to certify carrier and expeditionary strike groups for deployment in support of worldwide operational and combat activities, which are essential to national security," the memo said.

The decision drew immediate criticism from environmentalists who had fought to stop the Navy's sonar training.

-snip
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080116/navy-sonar/

[northzax]

1. the whole point of this freaking law

was to stop LFAS. since only the Navy has LFAS, it's kinda against the spirit of the law, no?

it's like passing a law regulating the use of spacecraft and then exempting NASA.

[mod mom]

2. Congress needs to put a stop to these illegal signing statements putting * above the law.

[northzax]

3. the text is what matters

many federal laws are allowed to exempt the military.

[hunter]

4. The world would be a brighter place if we slashed our military budget 90%.

All the evidence shows we are no longer a "superpower" so why the hell are we spending all that money?

It's very similar to the problems with our healthcare system. We spend more money than anyone else, but we don't have a lot to show for it.

[XemaSab]

5. What about the endangered species act?

Aren't there listed species that would undergo unlawful take as a result of the sonar testing? :shrug: