Public Interest Group Seeks White House Documents on Scientific Integrity Policies
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has filed a complaint in federal court under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), seeking documents from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) related to the development of policies to protect scientific integrity in federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. PEER v. OSTP, No. __ (D.D.C., filed October 19, 2010).
According to the complaint, President Barack Obama (D) issued an executive
order in March 2009, requiring the development of such rules by July.
They have not yet been promulgated. OSTP Director John Holdren reportedly
wrote online in June 2010 that the “process has been more laborious and time-consuming than expected,” and that an interagency panel has
developed draft recommendations for OSTP and Office of Management and
Budget review.
Representatives from the latter two offices “have been honing a final set of
recommendations” in the intervening months, said Holdren. PEER sought the
panel’s recommendations, position papers and interagency communications
under FOIA from OSTP, but claims that the White House has failed to respond
and thus, has violated FOIA deadlines. The organization seeks an order
requiring that the documents be disclosed.
PEER Executive Director reportedly said, “Why is the development of transparency policy cloaked in secrecy? The public should know which agencies oppose a presidential directive to stop politicizing science and why.” See PEER News Release, October 19, 2010.
