Navy, Enviro Groups Settle Sonar Suit

WASHINGTON -- The Navy and five environmental groups and an individual that filed suit over its use of midfrequency sonar in training exercises around the world have reached a settlement that will permit the training to continue but guarantees the service's continued support of research on its effects on marine life.

The out-of-court agreement follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month upholding the Navy's use of the sonar in a related case. The Navy uses the sonar, which emits sound waves that bounce off objects in the water, to track other ships, particularly submarines.

The agreement "essentially adopts the long-range program for environmental analysis and research that the Navy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agreed to in August 2005, months before this lawsuit was originally filed," said Cmdr. Cappy Surrette, a Navy spokesman.

The settlement also "will allow the Navy to focus resources on certain marine mammal research, which will be more constructive than litigation," he said.

The deal includes a Navy commitment of $14.75 million in research on midfrequency sonar's effects on marine mammals. The service said it would provide the environmentalists with periodic briefings on th e mammals studied.

The service announced the out-of-court agreement late Saturday. The environmentalist groups and individual challenging the service included the Natural Resources Defense Council, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the Cetacean Society International, the League for Coastal Protection, the Ocean Futures Society and Jean-Michel Cousteau.