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Whales at the Supreme Court

NRDC argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8, 2008, seeking to protect whales from harmful military sonar. In early 2008, a federal court prohibited the U.S. Navy from conducting sonar exercises off the California coast without safety measures in place. The Navy sought to overturn this decision, despite evidence that thousands of whales would be harmed. The justices issued a ruling on Nov. 12.

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U.S. Supreme Court deals blow to whales in sonar case

U.S. Supreme Court deals blow to whales in sonar case

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its first decision of the term today, and it's not the best of news for whales. Last month, NRDC and its allies argued before the court on behalf of marine mammals that are threatened...continued

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Other reports from the court: Opinions on NRDC's "Navy v. whales" case

Other reports from the court: Opinions on NRDC's

Last week, NRDC argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to protect whales and other marine mammals from being harmed by military sonar. I reported on the oral arguments and tried to provide an observer's perspective. Since then, a lot...continued

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navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales

UPDATED Report from the Court: NRDC and the Navy face off over sonar's harm to whales

UPDATED Report from the Court: NRDC and the Navy face off over sonar's harm to whales

Lawyers from NRDC and the U.S. Navy faced tough scrutiny on everything from beaked whale strandings to the separation of powers as they argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this morning.In a case that could determine whether the Navy is...continued

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navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales

Who speaks for whales?

Who speaks for whales?

Oral arguments are scheduled to begin momentarily in NRDC's case before the U.S. Supreme Court, and everyone's eager to hear what happens.A lot of groups have a rooting interest in this proceeding, in which the U.S. Navy is seeking to...continued

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navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales

Whales get their day in court

Whales get their day in court

The case that's widely thought of as "Navy vs. whales" goes to the highest court in the land this morning, as the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council.I'm lined up outside the courthouse...continued

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“Half of this game is ninety percent mental”*

“Half of this game is ninety percent mental”*

On Wednesday the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Winter v. NRDC, a case concerning the devastating environmental effects that the use of high-intensity active sonar can have on marine life, particularly small, deep-diving, whales.  The Court could consider...continued

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Supreme Court to Examine the Navy's Use of Sonar

Supreme Court to Examine the Navy's Use of Sonar

Next Wednesday, in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Supreme Court will hear argument in Winter v NRDC, our case challenging the Navy's illegal use of sonar off the southern California coast. As I wrote about previously, NRDC challenged the Navy's refusal...continued

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Blubber Huggers. 'Nuf said.

Blubber Huggers. 'Nuf said.

On Hannity and Colmes Julia Bovey discusses global warming, possibilities in efficiency, and shortcomings of America’s dead-end oil policy; you can view the video and vote on it on Fox.com. Stephen Colbert passes judgment on the NRDC vs. Winter...continued

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Colbert Weighs In

Colbert Weighs In

It is as we all feared.  Stephen Colbert threw his considerable legal acumen into the ring last night, weighing in on NRDC v. Winter – our case about naval sonar training off California, which the Supreme Court will hear in...continued

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colbert, colbert, midfrequencysonar, navysonar, navysonar, navysonar, navysonar, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt, supremecourt

Sonar and the Supremes

Sonar and the Supremes

One thing you get when your lawsuit is taken up by the Supreme Court, aside from supportive calls from friends, is a lot of interest from the media.  That happened yesterday when the Supreme Court agreed to hear NRDC v....continued

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Editorial Fiction at the Wall Street Journal

Editorial Fiction at the Wall Street Journal

If the Supreme Court decides to review the case of high intensity Navy sonar, as the Wall Street Journal yesterday urged, it will do well to ignore the Journal’s error-riddled editorial (“Judge Ahab and the Whales,” June 19). There is...continued

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marinemammals, marinemammals, marinemammals, marinemammals, marinemammals, navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, navy, navysonar, navysonar, navysonar, navysonar, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, nrdcv.winter, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, sonar, wallstreetjournal, wallstreetjournal, wallstreetjournal, wallstreetjournal, wallstreetjournal, wallstreetjournal, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales, whales

Whales Win!

Whales Win!

I've been traveling the last few days and didn't have much time to post on Switchboard, but I would be remiss if I didn't give a quick shout out to my colleagues at NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Program, who scored...continued

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No, admiral, there's rock-solid science re naval sonar's danger to beaked whales

No, admiral, there's rock-solid science re naval sonar's danger to beaked whales

Today's AP featured a rather extraordinary claim by the United States Navy.  In a story about the particular vulnerability "beaked" whales (a kind of small toothed whale that encompasses about twenty different species) to naval sonar, the commander of the U.S. Pacific...continued

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