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Environmentalists can continue with suit to protect whales

A team of environmental groups can continue a lawsuit against the U.S. government.
Credit: AP
FILE - A North Atlantic right whale appears at the surface on March 28, 2018, off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. A federal court is allowing a team of environmental groups to continue with a lawsuit against the U.S. government that seeks to create stronger rules to protect rare whales from collisions with ships. Environmental groups want to protect North Atlantic right whales, which are vulnerable to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

MAINE, Maine — A federal court is allowing a team of environmental groups to continue with a lawsuit against the U.S. government. 

The suit seeks to create stronger rules to protect rare North Atlantic right whales from collisions with ships. The petitioners want to expand areas and times when there's a speed limit for vessels.

Right whales are vulnerable to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. 

The Biden administration has pushed back against the suit and sought to have it dismissed. But the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied that request Wednesday. 

The court ruled the government “cannot avoid its obligation” to consider the request.

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