Navy, Environmentalists Strike Deal on Sonar Tests

The newly announced deal largely mirrors the restrictions imposed by Laporte's earlier injunction. She must still approve the settlement for it to become final.

In a press release issued immediately after the settlement was announced, Joel Reynolds, director of the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council, hailed the settlement as balancing the needs of the environment and the Navy.

"We recognize that preparation for our national defense is of paramount importance. No one doubts that. But it isn't an either-or choice. We've always had environmental protection - and protection of our national security," he said.

With the LFA battle apparently on hold in the U.S., the NRDC, International Fund for Animal Welfare and other environmental groups announced a new global campaign last week to stop the spread of high-intensity sonar systems in oceans. Such systems are used by military forces of Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and other European nations, and high-profile international celebrities such as Jean-Michel Cousteau and Pierce Brosnan have joined the fight against these sonar systems there.

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