Comment from Elizabeth Fritz-Cottle

The rule proposed is an immediate threat to bottle nose dolphins and even manatees in the coastal waters surrounding Florida. The suggestion that 'Level B harassment' to marine species is acceptable in order for Naval students to arm/disarm underwater mines is negligent and extreme, especially when our oceans are facing rapid change in temperature, over-fishing, and toxic waste. Moreover, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Agency states "evaluating the effects of...noise on marine mammals [in order to]expand understanding of...threats to bottle nose dolphins...observations made during...detonation...indicated that dolphins do exhibit behavioral responses" (Buckstaff & Ganon, 2010; http://www.sarasotadolphin.org/Human/ResponseConstruction.asp). Essentially, not enough research has been conducted on the long term outcome of sound and noise on bottle nose dolphins (or other marine life), and blatant disregard for marine environs is an abuse of the Naval authority. I challenge the rule in its entirety, and would request the Navy find other manner in which to test the student aptitude of arming/disarming underwater mines. Surely, ordnance training can occur in simulated marine environments without posing needless harm to the animals and ecosystems of coastal waters.