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GOP Bill To Outlaw EPA 'Secret Science' That Is Not Transparent, Reproducible

Posted by timothy on from the as-if-it-were-that-simple dept.

Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "Fox News reports that Republican lawmakers in the House are pushing legislation that would prohibit the EPA from proposing new regulations based on science that is not transparent or not reproducible. The bill introduced by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., would bar the agency from proposing or finalizing rules without first disclosing all "scientific and technical information" relied on to support its proposed action. "Public policy should come from public data, not based on the whims of far-left environmental groups," says Schweikert. "For far too long, the EPA has approved regulations that have placed a crippling financial burden on economic growth in this country with no public evidence to justify their actions." The bill, dubbed the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014 (HR 4012), would prohibit the EPA's administrator from proposing or finalizing any rules unless he or she also discloses "all scientific and technical information" relied on by the agency in the regulations' development including all data, materials and computer models. According to Schweikert's press release a 2013 poll from the Institute of Energy Research found that 90 percent of Americans agree that studies and data used to make federal government decisions should be made public. "Provisions in the bill are consistent with the White House's scientific integrity policy, the President's Executive Order 13563, data access provisions of major scientific journals, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the recommendations of the Obama administration's top science advisors.""

4 of 618 comments (clear)

  1. "Not Reproduclibe" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sorry EPA, but the studies sponsored by the [insert industry] industry couldn't reproduce the findings.

    You cannot regulate them.

    This will be one GIANT loophole for industry.

    1. Re: "Not Reproduclibe" by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 3, Interesting

      So, you are saying that he is lying and the EPA GAVE that information to Congress? Can you provide me with a link supporting that?

      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
  2. Same old Republican BS by oscrivellodds · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "For far too long, the EPA has approved regulations that have placed a crippling financial burden on economic growth in this country with no public evidence to justify their actions."

    Gee, it sounds like they are doing a lot of this sort of thing. Can you name some specific instances where this has occurred?

    "Provisions in the bill are consistent with the White House's scientific integrity policy, the President's Executive Order 13563, data access provisions of major scientific journals, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the recommendations of the Obama administration's top science advisors."

    Are ALL or just a few of the provisions consistent with the policy? Which provisions aren't consistent with the policy?

      "prohibit the EPA from proposing new regulations based on science that is not transparent or not reproducible"

    So you mean that since they don't have a second planet earth to experiment on, they can't issue any rules that would relate to things like, oh, I don't know, anthropomorphic climate change?

    Gee thanks, Mr. Republican, for looking out for my interests.

  3. Death Blow to creationism by sdinfoserv · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hope they realize they are outlawing the teaching of Creationism and intelligent design as well.