Whitehouse Rebukes Trump’s Politically Motivated Purge of EPA Science Advisers
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement condemning the Trump administration for abruptly firing the EPA’s independent science advisers.
Without warning, the Acting EPA Administrator dismissed all members of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the Science Advisory Board, two prominent panels of scientific experts that provide wide-ranging technical expertise to help the agency in its mission to protect clean air, clean water, the environment, and public health.
During his first term, President Trump ousted scientific advisers from the same panels and replaced them with political loyalists and industry-friendly voices.
“Anyone who values clean air and clean water should be alarmed by Donald Trump’s politically motivated purges. Independent scientific advisers ensure that EPA policies are guided by facts, not by big polluters’ desire to corrupt the process.
By removing these independent experts, this administration is—yet again—selling out our nation’s public health and environmental protections to the same polluting industries that bankrolled much of Trump’s campaign.
This is not about good governance; this is about rigging the system for polluters; corruption at the expense of the American people.”