Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie today commemorated Earth Day 2009 by introducing legislation to create a national research program focusing on the effects of human-related activities — such as the use of sonar — on marine mammals.

“Hawaii has always been defined by a special bond with the other species with which we share this planet and a profound respect for their right to exist in harmony with us and the land,”  said Abercrombie, a member of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.  “It is in that spirit that I’ve introduced the Marine Mammal Research Program Act on Earth Day 2009.”

Abercrombie’s legislation would establish a comprehensive research program into the effects of human-related activity, and particularly the use of Sound Navigation and Ranging (Sonar) equipment  by the U.S. Navy.  Sonar is the essential tool of anti-submarine warfare, sending pulses of sound into the sea to detect submarines.  It’s also used for undersea mapping and scientific exploration.   The problem is that sonar’s powerful sound beams can damage the sensitive hearing or marine mammals — primarily whales and dolphins— and may have even caused some deaths.   

The controversial issue has been marked by federal law suits for years, and in 2008, the Bush Administration tried to exempt the Navy from any legal restrictions over the use of sonar, but that too was appealed to the federal courts.

“We need to end the fighting and resolve these issues, but we can’t really do that until we’re sure we all know what we’re talking about,”  Abercrombie said. “We have to fully understand the effects of human activities, including underwater sound, on marine mammals and determine how to mitigate any harmful impact.  That requires expanded and focused research,” said Abercrombie.

Abercrombie’s bill would authorize $25 million in annual funding to coordinate and strengthen scientific research into natural and human-related factors affecting the health of marine mammals and their habitats. The program would be administered by the Marine Mammal Commission, an independent federal agency.

“Shipping, oil exploration, and sonar all inject sounds into our oceans, but we lack adequate scientific data to determine exactly what effects those activities have on marine mammals. This bill will lead to the development and implementation of a comprehensive five-year national research plan to give us information.”

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