Calif Panel Opposes Bush Sonar Exemption

JACOB ADELMAN
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080123/ap_on_re_us/navy_sonar_1

The state agency charged with protecting California's coast argued Tuesday that President Bush's exemption of the Navy from environmental laws that would restrict use of high-power sonar off the coast.

The California Coastal Commission said in a brief filed in Los Angeles federal court that the president violated constitutional guarantees of separation of powers by overriding an earlier court decision limiting sonar use.

"This is an effort by the president to rule by decree instead of observing the rule of law," said California Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose office represents the commission. "It's hard to find words to express the extent to which this deviates from the American tradition of separation of powers. It's shocking."

Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a Navy spokesman, declined to comment. An after-hours message left with the U.S. Department of Justice's press office was not immediately returned.

how to spend all the defense money anymore so they are on to shit like this. And, naturally bush is all for it.