EPA scientists cite political interference in agency decisions

WASHINGTON — More than half the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists who responded to an independent survey made public Wednesday said they had witnessed political interference in scientific decisions at the agency during the past five years.

The claim comes from a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group that sent questionnaires to 5,500 EPA scientists and obtained 1,586 responses. Among the scientists' complaints were that data sometimes were used selectively to justify a specific regulatory outcome and that political appointees had directed them to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information in EPA scientific documents.

"Things are not as they should be at the EPA," said Francesca Grifo, director of the group's scientific integrity program. "Scientific findings are being suppressed and distorted. Eight-hundred-and-eighty-nine scientists personally experienced at least one type of political interference."

More than 100 respondents identified the Office of Management and Budget as the source of the interference, while hundreds also blamed industry groups and other agencies, Grifo said.

EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said the findings will not change anything. He said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, a scientist at the agency for 27 years, carefully weighs the input of staff scientists in making key decisions.

"The work we do here at EPA is work we are all very passionate about," Shradar said. "Sometimes we disagree."

Survey participants included employees with training in geology, engineering, life science, toxicology and chemistry. Those most likely to report political interference work in offices involved in writing regulations or conducting risk assessments of potentially harmful agents, the advocacy group said.

Timothy Donaghy, one of the report's co-authors, acknowledged that a large number of scientists did not respond to the survey and said the findings should not be viewed as a random sample.

Nevertheless, he said, "we have hundreds of scientists saying there is a problem" with assuring EPA scientific integrity.

Material from The Associated Press is included in this report.