In a statement, the Union of Concerned Scientists explained that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a proposal to stop considering studies by public health experts when raw data from such analyses is confidential, and has given a deadline of 30 to receive feedback from the public.
“While these experts are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 by treating patients, researching vaccines, and educating the public to keep them safe, the EPA is trying to push this proposal forward with the fewest criticism it can receive,” regretted the organization.
For that reason, it has sent a letter to the EPA to extend the deadline for commenting on the proposal and to hold public hearings on it.
Attempt to exclude scientific evidence
On the other hand, the executive director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sudip Parikh, said in a statement that the EPA’s so-called “transparency standard” “is not about transparency or for a strengthening of science,” but in reality jeopardizes this government agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment.
“With the continuation of this flawed policy, the EPA administrator is undermining the agency’s ability to use the best science available to make decisions,” he warned. It is even more alarming that the agency is moving forward with this standard despite the criticisms and warnings of its own scientific advisory board.”
“Let’s call this standard what it really is: a deliberate attempt to exclude scientific evidence from the political decision-making process,” said Parikh, who recalled that the coronavirus crisis is demonstrating the need for the expertise of scientists to make those kinds of decisions.
Government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that more than 7,038 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the United States and at least 97 deaths have occurred, although state counts raise the number 149 to 149.
