PEER Petitions NOAA To Un-Muzzle Agency Scientists

Many environmental reporters, calling federal agency scientists to verify some simple fact about which the scientist is expert, have been told by the scientists that they are not allowed to talk to reporters without permission from a politically appointed press officer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is just one of several environmental agencies with such a policy.

Now an advocacy group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), has formally petitioned NOAA to rescind its Don't-Tell press policy. If NOAA repealed its press policy, PEER says, agency scientists would again be able to freely talk to the taxpayers about tax-funded research.

Direct and unfettered public and press access to agency science and scientists may appear more crucial now that the Obama White House has been accused of misrepresenting the scientists and their research in order to bolster its political agenda promoting Gulf oil drilling.

• PEER Press Release of July 12, 2010.
• NOAA 2008 Press Policy.