Last month, the Supreme Court heard arguments about the Navy and whales duking it out off the coast of Southern California (the back story is here). Well, the Supreme Court handed down the official decision today, and the news isn’t good for environmentalists: they have removed restrictions on the Navy’s use of sonar off in training exercises. From The New York Times:

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, which was joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Six justices agreed with the outcome, although Justice John Paul Stevens did not join the majority opinion. Justice Stephen Breyer would have allowed some restrictions to remain, while Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter said the prospect of harm to the whales was sufficient to justify limits on sonar use.

The article notes that the actual environmental harms being done aren’t addressed in the court decision, but “that federal courts abused their discretion by ordering the Navy to limit sonar use in some cases and to turn it off altogether in others.”

So, not so good for the conservation movements. The hope would be that the Navy might attempt to police itself on sonar use now that all bets are off, but that and two bucks will get you a cup of coffee. takepart and visit Conservation International’s page on protecting our oceans to see what else can be done to help, since this option’s kinda out the window.  Sad news.  Sad news indeed.

But, to brighten your spirts…ponies!!!