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News & Analysis | REG•WATCH Blog | Press Room
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Interior Department Gets in on the Scientific Manipulation Fun
The New York Times reports this morning that an Interior Department manager has been ignoring science to pursue a political agenda. Julie A. MacDonald, the deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, became the subject of an agency Inspector General investigation after repeated complaints by employees:
Ms. MacDonald, an engineer by training, has provoked complaints from some wildlife biologists and lawyers in the agency for aggressive advocacy for industries' views of the science that underlies agency decisions. The words of more than a dozen high-ranking career employees … describe a manager determined to see that agency findings and the underlying science conform with policy goals.
The article points out MacDonald's reckless actions make many agency decisions overly vulnerable to legal challenges. "Making decisions that are vulnerable increases the risk that time-consuming, labor-intensive scientific and regulatory work must be redone."
Posted by Matt Madia
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