Today, U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, made the following statement regarding the Obama Administration's commitment to scientific integrity, specifically concerning the data underlying the development of significant, costly air regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"It is taking way too long for the ‘most transparent Administration in history' to share the data used to justify some of the most expensive regulations coming out of the EPA," said Vitter. "Obama's EPA made a commitment to retain the highest standards of scientific integrity and to be transparent with their data-related policies, so they need to be held accountable. Any misconduct should have significant consequences."
In March 2014, Vitter sent a letter to Dr. Francesca Grifo, EPA's Science Integrity Official, detailing his concerns with EPA continued violation of the Organization for Co-operation and Economic Development's (OECD) guidelines for "Best Practices for Ensuring Scientific Integrity and Preventing Misconduct." As of today, Dr. Grifo has not yet provided a response. EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy directs the Agency "to expand and promote access to scientific information by making it available...including access to data and non-proprietary models underlying Agency policy decisions."'
In October 2011, Sens. Vitter, Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent a letter to Dr. John Holdren, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy for the White House, demanding answers from the White House on the Obama Administration's methods of achieving sound science in determining major federal actions. Holdren's response.
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