SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Pedro Nava, Chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security and the legislature’s representative on the California Ocean Protection Council today blasted the decision by President Bush to exempt the Navy from all state and federal environmental laws while performing naval exercises off the California Coast. 

“I am outraged that President Bush is using his executive authority to exempt the Navy from state and federal environmental laws.  His decision will cause irreparable harm to marine mammals,” said Nava. “Our nation and country is founded on the rule of law and for President Bush to arbitrarily use his authority and allow a federal agency to be above the law is unconscionable.”

Assemblymember Nava will be introducing in the next few days an Assembly Resolution calling on President Bush to rescind his executive action allowing the Navy to be exempt from state and federal environmental laws.  Additionally, Assemblymember Nava is going to ask the California Ocean Protection Council, of which he is a member, to pass a resolution as well.

Recently, a federal judge in Los Angeles had issued a preliminary injunction against the Navy requiring them to create a 12 mile no sonar zone along the California Coast and to post trained lookouts to watch for marine mammals during exercises.  According to marine biologists and other experts, there is evidence that the sonar used by the Navy during exercises along the California coast, causes damage to marine mammals, in particular dolphins and migrating whales.

“California’s coastline and the marine environment are precious and need to be protected for our children and grandchildren.  The Bush administration should keep their hands off our coast.  Enough is enough,” said Assemblymember Nava.