Science is at the core of a healthy democracy. But for years, presidential administrations have, in differing ways, sidelined scientific evidence and attacked scientific integrity.
Below is a running list of attacks on science. They include disappearing data, silenced scientists, suppressed studies, and other assaults on science-based policy. The list provides a representative sample of threats to the federal scientific enterprise—and a warning of what we face in the future. More information can be found in our peer-reviewed study and in our data repository.
Attacks on science
Lead Poisoning Prevention Panel Influenced by Industry
The CDC was preparing to consider whether to revise the federal standard for lead poisoning set most recently in 1991. Just a few weeks before the committee's scheduled meeting, the George W. Bush administration intervened.
White House Council on Environmental Quality Edits EPA Administrator’s Op-Ed
Officials in the White House CEQ revised an op-ed by EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman scheduled to appear in Time Magazine.
Evidence on Iraq’s Aluminum Tubes Misrepresented
Department of Energy experts disagreed with CIA that confiscated aluminum tubes bound for Iraq were to be used in gas centrifuges for enriching uranium, but Bush administration officials said Iraq planned to use them for nuclear missiles.
Coal Slurry Spill Investigation Suppressed
Bush administration political appointees pressured investigators at the Mine Safety and Health Administration to prematurely wrap up an ongoing investigation into the causes of the massive October 2000 coal slurry spill in Martin County, Kentucky.
Press Releases Controlled for Political, Not Scientific, Importance
For years, NASA and NOAA officials have held back from publicizing significant climate change science to avoid highlighting research contradicting the administration’s policies.
Arms Control Panel Dismissed
After the George W. Bush administration came into office, the entire scientific committee that advised the State Department on technical matters related to arms control was dismissed.
Scientific Advice on Endangered Salmon Deleted
Six leading ecologists were asked to remove science-based recommendations from an official report on the recovery of populations of salmon in the Northwest.
Related resources
Report
Improving Election Data Transparency
Recommendations for states on best practices for improving election data transparency.
Activist Resource
The Electric Utility Toolkit
A set of resources and ideas for making a more just and inclusive power grid.
Activist Resource
The Science and Climate Litigation Webinar Series
Trainings, discussions, and case studies focused on the intersection of law, climate change, and science.
Activist Resource
Scientist Community Partnerships
Scientist-community partnerships can help level the playing field for communities that are being shut out of important policy discussions, and UCS is taking an active role in fostering these collaborations.