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October 30, 2006

Systematic Interference with Science at Interior Department Exposed
Emails and Edited Documents Show Evidence of Inappropriate Manipulation

WASHINGTON, DC – High-ranking political appointees within the Department of the Interior have rewritten numerous scientific documents to prevent the protection of several highly imperiled species under the Endangered Species Act. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Julie MacDonald personally reversed scientific findings, changed scientific conclusions to prevent endangered species from receiving protection, removed relevant information from a scientific document, and ordered the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to adopt her edits. All of these actions show a blatant disregard for the Endangered Species Act provision which requires species protection decisions to be based on the best available science.

"It's crucial that our new Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne create explicit policies that promote scientific openness, allow scientists to do their jobs, and punish those who inappropriately interfere with the scientific process," said Dr. Francesca Grifo, Senior Scientist and Director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' (UCS) Scientific Integrity Program. "Secretary Kempthorne should ensure that previous and future Endangered Species Act decisions are based on the best available science. And he should make adequate resources available to allow appropriate, science-based protection decisions under the Endangered Species Act."

Documents recently obtained by several conservation organizations show that MacDonald, an engineer with no training in biology, and other Interior officials personally edited scientific documents to change the conclusions of wildlife biologists with FWS regarding what species are eligible for Endangered Species Act protection. Affected species include the greater sage grouse, the Gunnison sage grouse, the white-tailed prairie dog, the Gunnison's prairie dog, a fish known as the roundtail chub, and a tree found in the Mariana Islands.

These examples of the manipulation and distortion of scientific information are the tip of the iceberg. The abuse of science at Interior has been reported previously on issues as diverse as mountaintop removal mining, cattle grazing, and the protection of rare trumpeter swans. In a survey of FWS scientists published just last year, 84 scientists reported having been directed to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information from FWS scientific documents. Furthermore, 303 scientists, or two thirds of those who responded to the survey, knew of cases where Interior Department political appointees had interfered with scientific determinations.

"This is not business as usual. When hundreds of scientists report political interference in government science, our nation's biological diversity is at risk," said Dr. Grifo. "Species diversity has provided humankind with food, fiber, medicines, clean water, and numerous other services that many of us take for granted. When we lose species, we lose the potential to solve critical problems."

The documents were obtained by several conservation groups, including Forest Guardians, the Center for Native Ecosystems, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Sagebrush Sea.



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