When Donald Trump finally left the White House, Dr. Fauci admitted how refreshing it was to be able to rely on science to make statements to the public about the coronavirus. It appears that many scientists are now getting that same opportunity under President Biden.
Judge throws out Trump rule limiting what science EPA can use https://t.co/J2DbCv3BPJ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 1, 2021
Shortly before leaving office, the Trump administration imposed a new rule on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limiting what types of science they can use to form conclusions and present data to the public. On Tuesday, Judge Brian Morris reversed that order, freeing environmental scientists to reach conclusions based on science rather than money.
According to The Washington Post:
‘The ruling by Judge Brian Morris, chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Great Falls, marked a victory for environmental groups and public health advocates. Just two weeks before Biden’s inauguration, EPA finalized a rule requiring researchers to disclose the raw data involved in their public health studies before the agency could rely upon their conclusions.’
Judge scraps Trump's EPA 'secret science' rule https://t.co/QCDrLJy647 pic.twitter.com/SB6mtPjLBj
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) February 1, 2021
Under Trump’s rule, reports that included study-based methods for reaching conclusions were to be given less weight, a rule that would limit the ability of the EPA to warn of human harms as a result of the use of certain substances. That type of data has been used for years to create environmental regulations to keep the public safe.
‘The rule, which was made effective immediately, would assign less weight to studies built on medical histories and other confidential data from human subjects where the underlying information was not revealed. That sort of research — including dose-response studies, which evaluate how much a person’s exposure to a substance increases the risk of harm — have been used for decades to justify EPA regulations.’
BIG DEAL. Federal judge throws out Trump EPA's "secret science" rule, years in the making, built on tobacco-industry strategy of challenging science to block environmental/health rules. Trump folks had hard time following the law when making rules. So they are being thrown out. pic.twitter.com/2p5kqmpseW
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) February 1, 2021
The disgraced former president displayed an aversion to science anytime it hindered billionaires from making more money using harmful practices or made his own administration look bad. With Trump now in Florida plotting and threatening revenge on members of the GOP who dared challenge his election fraud lies, his opinions on science, blessedly and suddenly, no longer matter to scientists at all.
‘critics argued that the Trump administration aimed to impede or block access to the best available science, weakening the government’s ability to create new protections against pollution, pesticides, and possibly even the coronavirus.’
The Biden administration can now repeal a rule that the Trump admin fast tracked that scientists have said would prevent EPA employees from using legitimate scientific research. https://t.co/zvOSsD9WEq
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) February 1, 2021
