[Dialogue] Systematic Interference with Science at Interior Department Exposed

[Harry Wainwright]

Union of Concerned Scientists
Citizens and Scientists for Environmental Solutions
www.ucsusa.org 




October 30, 2006

Systematic Interference with Science at Interior Department Exposed 
Emails and Edited Documents Show Evidence of Inappropriate Manipulation 

Endang Species Press Release 

WASHINGTON, DC - High-ranking political appointees within the Department of
the Interior have rewritten numerous scientific documents to prevent the
protection of several highly imperiled species under the Endangered Species
Act. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Julie
MacDonald personally reversed scientific findings, changed scientific
conclusions to prevent endangered species from receiving protection, removed
relevant information from a scientific document, and ordered the Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS) to adopt her edits. All of these actions show a
blatant disregard for the Endangered Species Act provision which requires
species protection decisions to be based on the best available science. 

"It's crucial that our new Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne create
explicit policies that promote scientific openness, allow scientists to do
their jobs, and punish those who inappropriately interfere with the
scientific process," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, Senior Scientist and Director
of the Union of Concerned Scientists' (UCS) Scientific Integrity Program.
"Secretary Kempthorne should ensure that previous and future Endangered
Species Act decisions are based on the best available science. And he should
make adequate resources available to allow appropriate, science-based
protection decisions under the Endangered Species Act."

Documents recently obtained by several conservation organizations show that
MacDonald, an engineer with no training in biology, and other Interior
officials personally edited scientific documents to change the conclusions
of wildlife biologists with FWS regarding what species are eligible for
Endangered Species Act protection. Affected species include the greater sage
grouse, the Gunnison sage grouse, the white-tailed prairie dog, the
Gunnison's prairie dog, a fish known as the roundtail chub, and a tree found
in the Mariana Islands. 

These examples of the manipulation and distortion of scientific information
are the tip of the iceberg. The abuse of science at Interior has been
reported previously on issues as diverse as mountaintop removal mining,
cattle grazing, and the protection of rare trumpeter swans. In a survey of
FWS scientists published just last year, 84 scientists reported having been
directed to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information from FWS
scientific documents. Furthermore, 303 scientists, or two thirds of those
who responded to the survey, knew of cases where Interior Department
political appointees had interfered with scientific determinations.

"This is not business as usual. When hundreds of scientists report political
interference in government science, our nation's biological diversity is at
risk," said Dr. Grifo. "Species diversity has provided humankind with food,
fiber, medicines, clean water, and numerous other services that many of us
take for granted. When we lose species, we lose the potential to solve
critical problems."

The documents were obtained by several conservation groups, including Forest
Guardians, the Center for Native Ecosystems, the Center for Biological
Diversity, and Sagebrush Sea. 

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