The Woes at EPA

In my latest Science Progress column, I describe the utter meltdown at the Environmental Protection Agency, which involves not only mistreatment of agency scientists but the blatant failure to follow the law. Things probably haven't been this bad at the agency since the days of Ann Gorsuch Burford, if anyone remembers her. And that's saying something.

You can read the piece here.

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Chris,

another type of abuse, not only at EPA but across many of these agencies, is that of scientific authority. Administrators, which themselves have little or no scientific experience, are the ones who either make the "scientific call' or decide who does. Thus, the level of scientific information needed in order to make a decision is constantly being increased. Many a good scientists have left EPA, F&WS, NASA, etc. and aren't replaced, or a much junior scientist replaces them.

Would be interesting to see the number of peer reviewed pubs coming out of these agencies during the last decade.

By Gerardo Camilo (not verified) on 30 Apr 2008 #permalink

While I think Gerardo has a point, Administrator Johnson has the scientific experience (and the civil service experience) where you'd think he'd act differently than he has. What are particular events in his biography that could explain the apparent contradiction?

By David Bruggeman (not verified) on 30 Apr 2008 #permalink