Department of the Interior announces updated scientific integrity policy

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December 17, 2014

On December 17, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced an updated version of its current scientific integrity policy, which was introduced in 2011 after President Obama directed all executive agencies to develop them. Integrity policies are intended to ensure sound scientific processes and decision-making within agencies, particularly when those determinations have political ramifications.

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said in a statement that the new policy incorporates lessons learned over the past three years. Proponents praised the new plan for its clarity and specificity, while stating their desire for more transparency and publicly available case reports. Another group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), was highly critical of the new policy. They took issue with changes that obscured how scientific misconduct is defined and that failed to outline specific whistleblower protections.

Sources: E&E News, U.S. Department of the Interior, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility