"The EPA will review and evaluate its scientific advisory committees to ensure they include “top-tier experts,” agency chief Michael Regan said in a Tuesday email to employees.
The move comes after scientists blasted the Environmental Protection Agency during the Trump administration for allegedly not promoting the most qualified candidates. The agency issued a directive in 2017 prohibiting anyone who receives agency grant money from serving on its science advisory panels.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York later found that the EPA couldn’t ban grantees from serving on committees, and the EPA dropped the matter in June when it said it wouldn’t appeal. The science advisory panels aim to provide independent scientific advice and recommendations to the agency.
In an email to staff reviewed by Bloomberg Law, Regan wrote that a dedicated team led by the EPA’s science advisory and scientific integrity official would assess whether the advisory committees are protected against conflicts of interest."
Stephen Lee reports for Bloomberg Environment March 23, 2021.
SEE ALSO:
"EPA Chief Says Enforcement Starts With Science-Based Rules" (Bloomberg Environment)
"New EPA Administrator: ‘Science Is Back’" (Washington Post)
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