US Navy gets permission to harm marine mammals during training for seven years

The US Navy, Coast Guard, and Army are asking for permission to harm marine mammals during training and testing activities in the Pacific Ocean. This rule would allow them to do so for seven years, from 2025 to 2032.

The US military regularly conducts exercises in areas where marine mammals live. These activities, which include sonar use and explosives, can injure or kill animals. This proposed rule would formally allow the military to continue these actions, setting the terms for how many animals can be affected and under what conditions.