Strengthening Independent Science Capacity
The Environmental Protection Network (EPN) and Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) recognize that policy and programmatic decisions for the social good need to be backed by independent science. The current administration and EPA have routinely undermined the role of objectivity in science. EPN and UCS are partnering to expand trusted, independent science capacity by convening former EPA advisory board members, displaced federal experts, and other subject matter experts to provide accurate, science-based guidance to decision-makers as a counterpoint to what is being produced by EPA. An EPA advisory board is a body of independent experts that provides external scientific advice and recommendations to the agency to help ensure its decisions are grounded in rigorous, peer-reviewed data. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) is the federal law that governs these boards, mandating that they operate with transparency, balance, and public participation to ensure that the advice provided to the agency is impartial and free from conflicts of interest.
EPN and UCS will act as a bridge, coordinating joint research and facilitating expert input with partners like universities and NGOs. This collaboration ensures this critical work continues and that scientific knowledge is actively applied in real-world settings (state, local, tribal initiatives) and remains central to policy.
The Independent Science Review Initiative (ISRI) is committed to restoring the role of objective, independent science in environmental policy. Our efforts focus on three primary pillars:
- Strengthening Scientific Oversight and Ensuring Scientific Integrity: provide critical, independent perspectives on EPA advisory board actions and work products, ensuring that public decisions are supported by rigorous scientific review.
- Championing Evidence-Based Policy: offer policymakers objective, science-based guidance to ensure environmental decisions are grounded in the best available data.
- Envisioning the EPA of the Future: develop forward-looking scientific approaches and recommendations to strengthen the long-term integrity and capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Visit this link on the UCS webpage to learn more about this initiative, and find other resources and information on independent science.