Image: epa.gov
The EPA quietly has been planning a change to its policy on the use of scientific research to make it more ‘transparent and scientific’. Their plan is to disregard any scientific research that uses confidential study data. So, research into the health of American’s affected by fossil fuels with confidential health records of study patients would have to be redacted and made available for researchers from industry or universities taking industry funds. The process of de identifying patient data would cost millions of dollars. The EPA is standing sound scientific research on its head by telling us they are making it more ‘scientific’ while they throw out studies like the ‘Six Cities’ 1993 study by Harvard University identifying a link between air pollution and premature deaths. The new kill scientific data based studies policy will have broad ramifications across all policy areas, providing the EPA with the means to select whatever research it likes to relax regulations on industry behavior that will be harmful to our health.
Meanwhile, most of the energy industry is looking ahead investing in renewables:
Source: EIA, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Shot – 3/13/18
The EPA is looking to protect the revenue streams of fossil fuel companies who are already in need of a change in their business models.
The American Lung Association reports that in 2017 that 40 percent of Americans still live in areas where the air is still unhealthy to breathe. So, the EPA has more work to do, not relax regulations.
Next Steps:
It is clear what is happening with this new bogus policy, EPA leadership is working to dismantle the work of the agency over the past 20 years to protect American’s health, by undermining the scientific foundation of EPA policies and federal laws. Our political leaders in Congress need to take a look further than next quarter’s profits for the fossil fuel industry and do its job of protecting the health of 125 million Americans breathing unhealthy air. Our Insight Byte of March 15 in our Insight Byte Archive reviews how our economy related to the environment is interlocked and connected as well as our health.