Powerful navy sonar is known to disturb marine mammals such as whales and dolphins, and the military itself has admitted that the sonar could permanently injure them.

Earlier this month, a US District Judge issued an injunction limiting the navy’s use of certain sonar during training sessions along the coast because of such issues. President Bush then issued a memorandum exempting the navy from the applicable environmental laws, saying the training was “in the paramount interest of the United States” and “essential to national security”.

A spokesman for the National Resources Defense Council stated “If the administration can just wave a magic wand and do away with the will of Congress and do away with the will of the courts, that raises a very serious question about how our democracy is functioning.”

Sonar has been an issue around the San Juan Islands since 2003, when it was first observed causing problems for whales and porpoises here. The orca whales here are listed as endangered. The local navy commander at the time vowed that his personnel would not use mid-frequency sonar in the future if they knew that orcas were present.

Seattle PI: Bush allows Navy sonar use despite fears for whales

We run our San Juan Islands trip for women every summer, and spend time exploring this gorgeous area by land and sea. A highlight of the trip is an opportunity to see the orca whales — magnificent animals. Whenever I find relevant items, I post in our San Juan Islands category.