EPA Seeks Public Comment on Draft Scientific Integrity Policy

On January 24, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a 30-day public comment period on the draft updates to its Scientific Integrity (SI) Policy. This policy is in response to the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) memorandum requiring federal agencies to develop scientific integrity policies to restore trust in science (see previous COSSA coverage).

The updated SI Policy will adopt a new Federal definition of scientific integrity and meaningfully strengthen several policy elements that will help ensure a culture of scientific integrity at the Agency. It will incorporate the model scientific integrity policy from the National Science and Technology Council’s A Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice, lessons learned over the years, and the results of previous surveys of EPA staff on scientific integrity.

Comments are requested by February 23 and can be submitted here.