The Democratic staff of the House Committee on Government Reform recently released a report examining the Bush administration’s handling of scientific matters -- finding in many cases, that scientific integrity has been sacrificed to further a political or ideological agenda.

The report, which came at the request of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), finds “numerous instances where the administration has manipulated the scientific process and distorted or suppressed scientific findings.” For example:

• Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture barred a staff scientist from publishing results of a study finding antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the air near hog confinements in Iowa and Missouri after industry officials complained to the agency. The microbiologist was also prohibited from reporting his findings before a meeting of the board of health in Adair County, Iowa.

• The Bush administration altered information to advance an oil and gas practice known as “hydraulic fracturing.” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials briefed congressional staff on the practice in August of 2002 and presented a study showing that hydraulic fracturing, which involves the injection of fracturing fluids into geologic formations, could lead to levels of benzene in underground sources of drinking water in excess of federal drinking water standards.

  After congressional staff raised concerns about these environmental impacts, EPA produced a revised analysis showing that the practice would not result in levels of benzene above federal standards. The agency provided no scientific explanation for the change -- merely citing feedback from an industry source. Interestingly, Halliburton, the energy company previously led by Vice President Cheney, is the leading provider of hydraulic fracturing.

• Interior Secretary Gale Norton suppressed an unfavorable analysis of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposal to weaken wetlands protections. The analysis, prepared by scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, found that the proposed standards would “encourage the destruction of stream channels and lead to increased aquatic functions.” The Corps had sought to weaken the measures after the National Association of Home Builders filed suit. Norton failed to submit the comments to the Corps and the agency subsequently issued the watered-down rules.

OMB Watch previously reported on administration efforts to doctor findings on global warming and children’s health, as well as the practice of screening nominees for federal scientific advisory committees based on their political views rather than their scientific qualifications.

Waxman’s staff has established a web site to track the Bush administration’s meddling with scientific matters on an ongoing basis, covering the manipulation of scientific committees, as well as the distortion of scientific information, and interference with scientific research.