House passes anti-reg 'secret science' bill

[Panich52]

TheHill
'SECRET SCIENCE' BILL PASSES: The House easily passed its bill to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using "secret science" Wednesday, despite a veto threat from the Obama administration.

The bill, similar to past versions, would require the EPA to make publicly available all the details of any scientific research it uses in regulating. If the science isn't public, the rule can't be promulgated.

The legislation is the second part of an effort by the House GOP to reform the way the EPA uses science. On Tuesday, lawmakers voted to reform the EPA's Scientific Advisory Board.

"Is it too much to ask the EPA to follow the same guidelines I give my children in elementary school," asked Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.). "Show your work."

But opponents charge that the GOP is just trying to impede the EPA's rulemaking power.

They accused Republicans of forcing the EPA to reveal information about individual patients in studies.

"What my Republican colleagues are calling secrets [is] actually confidential, personal health information from research study participants," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas).

Read more here.
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001E-DfwYqXnf7oZQeXcTsaoUJ4RHM8EeRY1xG1v4jC5X0-MTcxbWIiVI1rdQRJJNGh8gGCSl3Dw7VaQ3iIm2AhP8Gvqf76pTocDqOIbvTC2ieQ-aSYT52Yk6KmNrfs4NNOsAMbBbPVhYVF04eoze8c1VyZTm4mAaJg6tZNTtHOWcVAlLA9rHwvShzCFERvWxuJ97SF3XktnN_2hLt_bIzl0bWjVCDDFGOXKSCXePcFcZMAufF8SZysHOGnCFiEtE_eo56vC4Bl9uxGzfGdAEQPaw==&c=i0-SUJU53knpR0swYEpuy3JA4t_aN4QV2p4C0NIkYA4snixOhI91YQ==&ch=zKWa0LwATVg_h2RKkfytYqfc9yzVrEekSEvHX3UP-pYCjUe6sQQ7wQ==

[SwissTony]

1. "Show your work" is not the same as "Show your data"

What on earth would they do with this data? I think their approach is not just to tangle organisations such as the EPA in unnecessary red tape, but to possibly discourage people from providing data in future studies.

[erronis]

2. Another collaborating view from NewScientist

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27231-secretscience-bill-inches-a-step-closer-to-us-law.html

Secret science sounds like an overwrought geeky website. But it's actually a bill passed in the House of Representatives in Washington DC last week that will – depending on your view – bust open the cosy cartel of science policy-makers at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or hobble government efforts to keep us safe from polluters.

The Secret Science Reform Act, pushed through the House by Republicans and supported by industry groups such as the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, would prevent the EPA from issuing regulations on the basis of data that have not been made public.

[Panich52]

3. Thx f/ posting. (Wish I could still afford print copy of that mag)

[erronis]

4. I managed by canceling my subscriptions to Science News, Scientific American

Those mags became overloaded with adverts. I feel sorry for the paper publishers but not so sorry for the trees...