Navy Sonar Remains Limited

The Natural Resources Defense Council says an agreement approved today by a federal judge in southern California allows the Navy to only slightly expand the scope of its training missions using low frequency sonar. The Navy had sought to expand the sonar's use to up to 70 percent of the world's oceans. 

In Hawaii, today's agreement forbids the service from using the low-frequency arrays close to the Hawaii Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary or the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. It also forbids use of the sonar within 50 miles of the main islands.