WASHINGTON – The Bush administration is strongly opposing international efforts to restrict the Navy’s use of active sonar anywhere in the world, putting it at odds with European allies and several key ocean-protection organizations.

While allies have become increasingly concerned about research indicating a link between the mass strandings of whales and nearby naval use of sonar, the new U.S. position puts national security first.

“The U.S. strongly opposes any international regulatory framework addressing military use of active sonar because of the potential to restrict the ability of individual States to balance the relevant security and environmental interests,” the new policy reads.

The new position is described as a “consensus” agreement among government agencies, but it touched off a contentious internal debate – one primarily between military officials who say unrestricted sonar is needed to train sailors and protect ships, and wildlife specialists who believe the sonar may be killing whales and other marine mammals with its loud bursts of sound.

While an initial Pentagon and Navy draft was four pages long and itemized, in sometimes harsh terms, the service’s views on why international sonar regulations are dangerous, the final draft is more restrained.

But the major recommendation remains what the Navy initially proposed: that any efforts to limit the global use of sonar through international negotiations should and will be actively resisted. The military also succeeded in resisting efforts to leave the policy open for changes if evidence of harm become more conclusive.

The Navy says it is committed to conducting active sonar in a way to minimize risk to marine mammals. The service is the world’s largest funder of ocean research.

But the document acknowledges sonar can be harmful. “Research concerning active sonar’s potential effects has demonstrated that, under certain circumstances and conditions, use of active sonar has an effect upon particular marine species,” a near-final draft says.

The new policy is expected to be made final and official soon.