The following letter was written by U.S. Senator from Connecticut Joseph I. Lieberman, in response to a letter by CSI Director Emeritus Dr. Robbins Barstow concerning the Navy's LFA sonar system.

March 9, 2000

Dr. Robbins Barstow
190 Stillwold Drive
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Dear Robbins:

I enjoyed having a brief opportunity to visit with you in West Hartford a few weeks ago. I am glad to hear that you appreciate the positive tone of "In Praise of Public Life." One of my hopes in writing it was that it would move people to reassess the cynicism about politics that is so prevalent in America today.

I appreciate your comments regarding the potential impact on whales and other marine mammals of the Navy's testing of the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) using Low Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar. As you know, I have long appreciated your environmental work and especially your efforts on behalf of our marine neighbors, the whales. Consequently, I was pleased to receive your timely update on the status of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on SURTASS LFA that was released by the Chief of Naval Operations last July.

I have been aware of the Navy's development of SURTASS for undersea surveillance. I have also been aware of a variety of concerns about the DEIS, including charges of incomplete data on marine mammal behavior and human health effects, failure to address evidence known to the Navy, and use of test decibel levels that were not within the range of the actual planned transmissions.

As you probably know, I support the development of technology to ensure military readiness. At the same time, however, I am concerned about the potential deployment of active sonar which might adversely affect the behavior of marine mammals, particularly near refuges and protected areas for whales, seals, and other ocean creatures. The decision of whether to deploy LFA SURTASS must rest on sound scientific observations and conclusions about the effects on marine mammals and human health, as well as any benefit it provides for national defense. At the moment, we do not know enough about the effects of sound on behavior and health of marine animals.

I have asked my staff to follow new developments in the SURTASS issue, such as the case just filed by environmental organizations in Hawaii. I will also be interested in the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) response to the Navy's application for a permit for taking of marine animals incidental to LFA sonar. I appreciate your concern about SURTASS LFA and its potential impact on whales and other marine life. I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me again as the issue evolves over the coming year.

Warm regards.

Sincerely,
Joe Lieberman