Some federal agencies are far more transparent than others when it comes to releasing scientific information to the press and public, says a new report card from the Union of Concerned Scientists. A sampling: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission received a B+; NASA, commended for improving its policies following muzzling complaints from climate-change expert James Hansen, received a B, as did the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the EPA, Bureau of Land Management, and Consumer Product Safety Commission were doled out D’s. The Fish and Wildlife Service also received a D, and many scientists there “told UCS that political appointees have interfered with science-based decisions in recent years and, as a result, that scientific openness has suffered.” Overall, a “wholesale culture change” is needed, says Francesca Grifo of UCS, noting optimism that either John McCain’s or Barack Obama’s administration will likely encourage transparency more than that of President Bush.
