Freedumb! House GOP Pushing To Stack EPA Science Boards With Lobbyists, Industry Reps, Cut Comments
As part of a larger attack on the Environmental Protection Agency, a congressional committee has approved legislation that would change the makeup and operation of expert panels that advise EPA on scientific matters.
The bill, H.R. 1422, would boost industry participation on panels of EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB). It also would significantly weaken SAB panels’ ability to limit oral comments from industry lobbyists or environmental activists—even though at most meetings, the time for board business is tightly allocated. And the legislation would require the board to respond in writing to some of those comments.
Industry organizations, including the American Chemistry Council (ACC), an association of chemical manufactures, are pushing Congress to make these changes. H.R. 1422 has opponents, too, including the Union of Concerned Scientists and environmental groups.
The House of Representatives’ Science, Space & Technology Committee agreed to the bill on April 11 by a vote of 21-16 along party lines. Rep. Christopher D. Stewart (R-Utah), sponsor of H.R. 1422, says the bill will fix “a process that is broken.” Stewart tied the legislation to curbing what Republicans view as EPA’s regulatory overreach.
EDIT
http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/web/2013/04/Republicans-Congress-Launch-Another-Salvo.html
