Federal scientists and agencies are taking proactive steps to protect their work from potential political interference if former President Donald Trump returns to office. With new contracts and policies, they aim to safeguard climate science and other research from being influenced by political agendas.
Union Protections
Earlier in June, the union representing nearly half of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees approved a new contract that includes specific protections against political meddling. This provision allows employees to report interference without fear of retribution, reprisal, or retaliation. Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, highlighted this move as essential to protecting workers from potential actions of a second Trump administration.
“The protections, which ensure workers can report any meddling without fear of ‘retribution, reprisal, or retaliation,’ are ‘a way for us to get in front of a second Trump administration and protect our workers,’” said Powell.
Concerns from the First Term
During his first term, Trump and his allies argued that federal agencies hindered economic growth. They criticized environmental agencies for making business operations difficult. Trump stated in a June 2 interview with “Fox & Friends” that environmental agencies “make it impossible to do anything,” claiming they have stopped business activities in the country.
The Trump administration was known for sidelining, muting, or forcing out hundreds of scientists. Environmental advocates said the administration misrepresented research on the coronavirus, reproduction, and hurricane forecasting. They now point to “Project 2025,” a blueprint from conservative think tanks outlining a reorganization of the executive branch, which aims to centralize more power under the president and eliminate the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice.
Current Protections
Under President Biden, new scientific integrity policies have been implemented across federal agencies to protect research from political interference. These policies ensure that research can continue without being manipulated by political agendas.
At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), stricter standards took effect in March following a 2020 investigation that found agency leaders violated its scientific integrity policy after Trump showed a doctored hurricane forecast map. A similar policy will soon extend to the Commerce Department, including political appointees whose violations were detailed in the 2020 probe.
The EPA’s new scientific integrity provision is part of a four-year contract with the agency, ensuring that workers’ complaints will be assessed by an independent investigator rather than a political appointee. This makes it harder to undo protections without a legal fight.
Mandy Gunasekara, who served as EPA chief of staff under Trump, rejected allegations that his administration tried to suppress climate science. She predicted that climate science research would continue regardless of who is in power, adding that climate change would remain important in a future conservative administration but would not be considered important enough to displace the agency’s broader mission.
Interior Department Concerns
The Interior Department, which manages public lands and federal waters, could face significant changes under a second Trump administration. Trump hinted at potential cuts to the department in a recent “Fox & Friends” interview. Career employees left the department in large numbers during his first term, especially after Trump moved the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters, causing over 87 percent of affected employees to resign or retire.
William Perry Pendley, who served as acting BLM director under Trump, defended the relocation, stating it was necessary for engaging with stakeholders in the West. In addition to the BLM move, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reassigned dozens of top career officials as part of a broader reorganization, a move that critics saw as an attempt to force out experienced staff.
In April, the Office of Personnel Management finalized a rule that protects federal employees from being fired without due process, reversing a Trump-era directive that allowed easier dismissal of career employees.
Legislative Needs
Experts argue that permanent legislation is needed to protect scientific integrity policies from being undone by future administrations. Such laws would ensure that federal agencies adopt these policies and face legal penalties for violations. Andrew Rosenberg, a former NOAA official, emphasized that with such a law in place, “the next president can’t say, ‘No, I don’t care,'” when violations of scientific integrity arise.
Daniel Weiner of the Brennan Center for Justice noted that political pressure on science will persist regardless of the election outcome, highlighting the ongoing need for strong safeguards.
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Background Information
Federal Agencies and Their Roles
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
- Purpose: The EPA is responsible for protecting human health and the environment by enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.
- Functions: It conducts research, sets standards, and ensures compliance with environmental laws related to air and water quality, chemical safety, and pollution control.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
- Purpose: NOAA is focused on understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts.
- Functions: It provides daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, climate monitoring, fisheries management, and coastal restoration.
- Interior Department:
- Purpose: The Department of the Interior manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage.
- Functions: It oversees public lands, national parks, wildlife refuges, and natural resource extraction, such as oil and gas drilling.
Political Interference in Science
- Definition: Political interference occurs when government officials attempt to influence scientific research or its communication to the public for political reasons rather than based on scientific evidence.
- Implications: This can lead to the suppression or distortion of scientific findings, affecting policy decisions and public understanding.
Actions Taken During Trump’s First Term
- Climate Science Suppression:
- The Trump administration was known for sidelining scientists who worked on climate change, a topic Trump frequently called a “hoax.”
- Example: EPA scientists were barred from speaking about climate change at a conference in Rhode Island.
- Environmental Regulation Rollbacks:
- Numerous environmental regulations were rolled back, which were originally put in place to protect air, water, and land from pollution.
- Relocation of Agencies:
- The Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters was moved from Washington, D.C., to Grand Junction, Colorado, resulting in a significant number of staff resignations.
- Scientific Integrity Violations:
- Example: During Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Trump showed a doctored map extending the hurricane’s path to include Alabama, leading to political pressure on NOAA to support this incorrect assertion.
Scientific Integrity Policies
- Purpose: These policies are designed to ensure that scientific research and communication within federal agencies remain free from political manipulation and are based solely on scientific evidence.
- Components: Policies typically include guidelines on how scientists should conduct their work, how findings should be communicated, and mechanisms for reporting and addressing any interference.
- Recent Developments: Under the Biden administration, stricter scientific integrity policies have been implemented across various federal agencies to protect against political interference.
Project 2025
- Definition: A plan created by conservative think tanks to reorganize the executive branch, concentrating more power in the hands of the president.
- Proposals: The plan includes recommendations such as eliminating the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and making significant changes to the structure and function of federal agencies.
Importance of Legislative Protections
- Need for Legislation: Experts argue that permanent laws are necessary to protect scientific integrity policies from being overturned by future administrations.
Potential Impact: Such legislation would ensure that federal agencies maintain these protections and face legal consequences for violations, thereby safeguarding scientific research from political influence.
Debate/Essay Questions
- What are the ethical implications of political leaders influencing or altering scientific research and communication?
- In what ways could the elimination of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice affect communities that are disproportionately harmed by pollution?
- How might public trust in scientific research be affected by political interference? What steps can be taken to ensure that scientific findings are communicated accurately to the public?
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