Climate Change: EPA Scientific Advisers Say Air, Water Rule Changes Defy Settled Science

An independent board of science advisers, most of whom were appointed by President Trump, warned Tuesday many of the regulatory rollbacks proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency fly in the face of established science.

The Science Advisory Board made a series of end-of-the-year recommendations following a last-minute review of Trump administration proposals that scale back air and water protections.

President Trump campaigned on the promise to roll back government regulations to spur economic growth.

EPA spokeswoman Corry Schiermeyer shrugged off the criticism, saying the agency “always appreciates and respects the work and advice” of the board. The EPA, however, is not obligated to accept the board’s advice.

The board posted four draft reports online, reviewing rules governing chemicals that can be used near waterways, mercury pollution from power plants, fuel efficiency standards – all of which roll back regulations adopted during the Obama administration – and the use of scientific research not made public. The waterways and mercury rules are scheduled to be finalized in January while the fuel efficiency standards are set for May.

“It really calls the question to what degree these suggested changes are fact-based as opposed to politically motivated,” Steven Hamburg, chief scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund and a former advisory board member, told the Washington Post.

Nearly two-thirds of the 44 members of the board were appointed by Trump, with the number of academics cut by half, replaced by industry experts, the Post said.

Former board member H. Christopher Frey, an environmental engineer and professor at North Carolina State University, said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler effectively has said he’s not interested in advice.

“He obviously has an ideological agenda of pursuing regulatory rollbacks, and the science is not always going to be consistent with that ideological agenda,” he said.

Wheeler said recently the board moves too slowly on issues.

Schiermeyer defended the rule changes, saying they comply with U.S. Supreme Court rulings and measures passed by Congress. She said relaxing mileage standards would make vehicles less expensive.