Environmental groups sue to force government to finalize ship speed rules that protect rare whales

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A coalition of environmental groups is suing the federal government to try to force the finalization of ship speed rules the groups say are critically important to save a vanishing species of whale. The proposed ship speed rules would require vessels off the East Coast to slow down more often to help save the North Atlantic right whale. The whale is vulnerable to collisions with ships and numbers less than 360. The species has been in decline in recent years. The environmental groups filed in federal court Tuesday with a request to allow a paused lawsuit about the ship speed rules to go forward.