I emailed Rutgers with a complaint and this is the response
I got.....
Dear Scott,
Thank you for writing to me and expressing your concern about the
National Science Foundation-funded project to use acoustic images to map
the ocean floor to better understand sea level rise. The project is a
collaborative effort involving several universities, with the federal
funding from the NSF.
The project is operating in accordance with regulations established by
the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and
National Environmental Policy Act. Its permit applications were twice
approved by fisheries biologists and endangered species experts with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries
Service.
Ship operations follow strict protocols to minimize disruption to marine
wildlife. Five specialists in the behavior of marine species, who have
no association with the scientists or their research, will be on board
for the entire cruise to listen, watch, and record the behavior of
marine species 24/7. If marine mammals or turtles come within a
designated radius of the ship, its sound sources will be turned off
until the animals leave the area.
Sincerely,
Robert Barchi
