Justice Dept. asks Supreme Court to review court decision on Navy sonar use

The U.S. Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Monday to review a federal appeals court decision that limits the U.S. Navy's use of sonar off the Southern California coast because of potential harm to dolphins and whales.

The Justice Department petition argues that the decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, California, jeopardizes the Navy's ability to train sailors and Marines for service in wartime.

The agency also contends that national security interests trump those of marine mammals, and its use of mid-frequency sonar in training exercises has caused no documented harm to dolphins or beaked whales in the waters where the excercizes are conducted.

Read more