The press release that came across my desk last week should have been satire. It announced the news that “political interference with science” will now be considered a no-no at the Environmental Protection Agency. Among concessions granted by the agency, EPA scientists will finally be “free to openly discuss their scientific work with the press and at scientific conferences.” (WOW! What a great idea!)
The deal allowing scientists to actually do science at the EPA, negotiated by the American Federation of Government Employees, is believed to be the first of its kind, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The agreement is supposed to take effect later this month, allowing disputes over scientific integrity to be heard by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.