HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0449.053 2000-2002 ~a,x ~ra,nsrnittal Cover Sheet
fio: County Council all members , - County Councilmentbers
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From: [}uane & I~IarJorie Erway ~~..~~~a~'V i `1' ~ i~
Fax ~lurnber:
I?ate: 9lNe~l, !an 23, 2002. 11:17 AIv1
Pages, inelusling cover: 3
If there is cliffaculty vrith this transrr~issi®n, please call: (80~} 324-~24
file No. -
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. (808} 324-4624 ~ 1 /23/02 ~ 1 1:17 AM 1 /2
: ~ 74-5602-A Alapa Street
Suite 725
< Kaffua-Kona, I-ii 96740
January 23, 2001
James Arakaki, Chairman, and
Council Members
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
FAX (808) 961-8192
Re: Resolution No. Resolution 155 O1
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S DEPARTMENT OF THE
NAVY'S PROPOSED DEPLOYMENT OF SURVEILLANCE TOWED ARRAY SENSOR SYSTEM
LOW FREQUENCY ACTIVE (SURTASS LFA) SONAR
Aloha Chairman Arakaki and Council Members.
In October, 1999, Plan-To-Protect went on record that there were insufficient experiments to demonstrate the
safety of SURTASS LFA Sonar We wrote that the experiments were insufficient because whales were
exposed to a small fraction of the sound levels expected in normal operation and because scientists did not
directly examine impacts on calving and breeding behavior of whales.
For your information, the tests were conducted by the Navy in three phases.
PHASE EXAMINED IMPACT ON: EXPOSURE
1 Feeding Behavior l 10 to 153 dB
2 Migration 115 to 125 dB
3 Whale Vocalization 120 to 150 dB
The highest exposure level used in any test, 153 dB, is 1/500 the exposure level expected in normal
operation at one kilometer. Applying these experiments to mammal e::posures of 180 dB requires too much
of an extrapolation.
The Navy scientists only recorded whale vocalization; they did not design any experiments to measure the
impact on breeding and calving behavior.
Reporting on Phase 3, scientists noted that the whales resumed their vocalization within 10 to 30 minutes
after the sonar shut down. But this is no proof that the whales did not exit their breeding grounds after tests
began. Vocalization is little use for locating the position of humpback whales because females don't sing and
male songs carry for up to 5 miles ! I!
The vocalization could have been taking place from an area away from the test area. Shortly after the Phase 3
testing began in Hawaii, whale watch boat captains, fishermen, and other observers reported a precipitous
decline in the number of humpback whales in the testing area.
The County Council is to be commended for the excellent work in making the resolution stronger. The
economic impact on the tourist industry could be substantial if the Navy is allowed to operate near our
shores at the planned levels.
Yours,
Duane Erway, President
Plan to Protect Kona
(808) 324-4624 ~ 1 /23/02 ~ 1 1:17 AM ®2/2
Aloha!!!!
re: Resolution 15 5 01
Please copy and distribute the 1 / 2 3 /02 letter from
Plan-To-Protect to all Council Members for their
next Council meeting. Thanks!
Duane ~rway
3~~-462 (voice mail only)