June 16, 2011
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) releases a draft scientific integrity policy[PDF] that is praised by UCS experts for its comprehensiveness and clarity in outlining employee rights and responsibilities.

June 8, 2011
The Environmental Protection Agency makes public the identities of more than 150 chemicals contained in 104 health and safety studies, the names of which had previously been redacted due to industry claims of confidential business information (CBI). In recent months, the agency has also provided the public with new online tools to assist in searching for chemical information.

March 11, 2011
The Consumer Product Safety Commission launches its new consumer product safety database, available at SaferProducts.gov. Members of the public can now access reports of harm involving consumer products. The online database better allows CPSC to respond to incidents and allow them to make better safety decisions.

February 10, 2011
EPA has notified five companies that the identities of (14) chemicals, associated with a number of health and safety studies, are not eligible for confidential treatment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).Last year, EPA implemented a plan to review confidentiality claims for the name of chemicals addressed in health and safety studies. Under the new procedures, EPA will declassify many chemical identities, unless the chemical identity contains process or mixture information that is expressly protected by TSCA.

February 1, 2011
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announces the establishment of a new policy to ensure and maintain the integrity of scientific and scholarly activities used in Departmental decision making. The policy follows on the Memorandum to the Heads of Departments and Agencies on Scientific Integrity issued in December and designates Dr. Ralph Morgenweck as the Department’s Science Integrity Officer. UCS has analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the new policy.

January 26, 2011
In his annual State of the Union speech, President Obama highlighted scientific advancement and a respect for the scientific enterprise. He received standing ovations when speaking about refocusing the nation on scientific research and education.

January 25, 2011
The White House may have ignored the advice of federal scientists when crafting a heavily criticized report that suggested most of the oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico last summer was "gone" by early August. The final draft of the so-called oil budget ignored the advice of several federal scientists concerned about the way the information was presented, according to e-mails between scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey.

January 19, 2011
Federal health officials unveil steps to streamline reviews of medical devices, while deferring decisions on contentious issues that device makers had feared could slow the approval of new products.

January 4, 2011
President Obama signs a $1.4 billion overhaul of the food safety system, giving government agencies new power to increase inspections at food processing facilities and force companies to recall tainted products.Congress passed the bill at the end of 2010 in response to several serious outbreaks of E. coli and salmonella poisoning in peanuts, eggs and produce in the past few years. The law is the first major overhaul of the U.S. food safety system since the 1930s.

December 17, 2010
Recognizing that political interference in science had become a serious problem, the White House releases a Scientific Integrity Directive. If fully implemented, the directive will help protect government scientists from pressure by special interests, give the public more information about how science informs government policy, ensure that the government can make fully informed decisions about public health and the environment. The directive gives agencies and departments 120 days to come up with individualized scientific integrity plans based on the directive.

November 24, 2010
The Consumer Product Safety Commission establishes its Publicly Available Product Safety Information Database, complying with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The database, expected to go live in March 2011, will give the public better access to product safety information.

November 19, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration works with Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc. to remove the drug Darvon (a pain medicine containing propoxyphene) from the market, following up on an FDA advisory meeting vote in January 2009. The FDA first approved propoxyphene in 1957, but after repeated petitions to ban the drug, the agency finally made the decision that the associated heart risks pose too great a risk to patients.

November 8, 2010
The Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General finds that the White House edited an Interior report in order to imply that an independent panel of scientists and engineers endorsed the six-month ban on offshore-oil drilling. A DOI spokesperson stated that this editing process was not out of the ordinary and was not designed to mislead the public.

November 4, 2010
The White House reveals new process for agencies to review non-classified information in a new executive order. The mandate clarifies that controlled unclassified information (CUI) is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) disclosure decisions, reviews the CUI categories, and establishes a public forum to review these categories for controlled unclassified information.

October 14, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reverses a 2008 decision to approve Menaflax, a knee implant device, admitting that it made an "error" when it dismissed scientists’ objections and that the device should not have been cleared. The decision marks the first time that the agency rescinded an approval without citing new information.

October 12, 2010
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expands protection critical to the restoration of the bull trout for a large area of Western waterways. This decision follows a lawsuit and represents a reversal of a previous flawed decision on the threatened species.

October 6, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) releases a proposal detailing efforts to keep up with changing science and technology. The endeavor will include investments ranging from new collaborations to new methods to assess products and identify food contaminants.

September 29, 2010
In response to strong public opposition to the Department of the Interior's (DOI) draft scientific integrity plan, Secretary Ken Salazar announces a comprehensive scientific integrity policy. The new policy takes into account nearly all of the recommendations the UCS submitted to the DOI during the public comment period.

September 23, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration announces that it will restrict the access to Avandia, the diabetes drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. The decision was made after data suggested that Type 2 diabetes patients treated with Avandia were more likely to suffer from heart attacks or strokes.

September 17, 2010
Nine months after she was nominated, the US Senate confirms Elisabeth Hagen as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for food safety. In that position Hagen will head the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which oversees the inspection of all meat and eggs. UCS recently released a survey of food inspectors at FSIS showing significant political interference in science at the agency

August 31, 2010
The Department of the Interior (DOI) releases a draft scientific integrity policy. The policy only addresses research misconduct, would not fix many of the problems that have led to abuse of science in the past, and is not the type of comprehensive approach that President Obama outlined in his March 2009 memo on scientific integrity.

August 11, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency proposes to improve chemical reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The rule would enhance the speed and degree of public access to information by requiring electronic submittal by manufacturers and decreasing the amount of information that they can keep confidential.

August 10, 2010
Researchers at the University of South Florida accuse the US Coast Guard and the Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) officials of trying to squelch their research on an undersea oil plume. There has been significant political interference in science surrounding the management of underwater oil drilling, including numerous examples of interference at the former Minerals Management Service.

August 6, 2010
The White House has been accused of spinning a report on the fate of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico by claiming that the "vast majority of oil is gone" and downplaying the impact the remaining oil might have on the ocean system. The report itself said that approximately half of the oil remained in the ocean, either in dispersed or residual form. Texas A&M University scientist John Kessler, who led a National Science Foundation study of the Gulf oil disaster, told the media, "The fact is that 50% to 75% of the material that came out of the well is still in the water. It's just in a dissolved or dispersed form."

July 20, 2010
The diabetes drug Avandia, which has been shown to increase heart attacks risk. Just days after a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended not to put additional restrictions on the drug, it is reported that an advisory committee member failed to disclose a conflict of interest. The committee member had received over $10,000 as a speaker for GlazoSmithKline, the company which manufactures Avandia. This case further emphasizes the need for more transparency for federal advisory committees.

July 15, 2010
A FDA advisory panel with financial conflicts of interest votes to keep the diabetes drug Avandia on the market, despite multiple studies showing it increases risks of heart attack. Previously, FDA officials had reprimanded scientists for recommending tighter restrictions on the drug.

July 9, 2010
Despite reports that political interference in science continues under the new administration, the White House has yet to produce a Scientific Integrity Directive. Today marks the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s deadline for a directive for improving scientific integrity in the executive branch.

June 15, 2010
Using a larger and better data set, a group of U.S. and independent scientists estimated the flow rate at Deepwater Horizon to be between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day. The group was convened by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and U.S. Geological Survey director Dr. Marcia McNutt to provide estimates with better scientific accuracy. This is a step in the direction of greater scientific clarity, as scientists have been critical of what they saw as BP’s unwillingness to provide necessary data for flow estimation.

June 15, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launches a new website containing safety information for newly approved drugs and medical devices. The FDA will now create and release reports about new safety information within 18 months or after 10,000 drug users, whichever comes later.

June 14, 2010
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Homeland Security, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and state resources has been compiled into an interactive map to provide the public with information about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill’s trajectory, its effects on natural resources, and the location of research ships.

June 9, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releases a full ingredient list for two dispersants used in the clean-up of the Gulf oil spill. EPA faced criticism from environmental and public health advocates for allowing BP to spray two dispersants—Corexit 9500 and 9527—into the Gulf of Mexico while the manufacturer kept the ingredients, and any potential health hazards, secret.

June 3, 2010
For the first time in 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revises its Sulfur Dioxide standard. The new 24-hour standard is consistent with recommendations from the Clean Air Science Advisory Committee, which found that short-term exposure creates the most significant respiratory health risks.

May 27, 2010
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar releases a report which claims a draft had been "peer reviewed" by a panel of seven experts. Five of these experts claim that the report falsely implies that they support a 6-month moratorium on exploratory drilling, which they did not approve, as Salazar changed the plan’s recommendations after the peer-review had occurred.

May 24, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health launch a website that enables consumers to report safety information about food and drugs for animals and humans, and will eventually be able to provide the public with pre- and post-market safety data about a wide variety of products.

May 20, 2010
The Department of Interior announces that it will split up the Minerals Management Service into three divisions in charge of energy development, enforcement of regulations, and collection of royalties. Some caution that this change is insufficient, simply shifting the power to politicize science up the food chain from middle managers to senior political appointees within the department.

May 20, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency launches the Community Engagement Initiative (CEI), which provides communities with information and the opportunity for input on the cleanup of hazardous waste in their communities.

May 19, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration releases a draft plan to increase transparency within the agency. While the draft contains many strong steps, it is lacking major provisions, including disclosing meetings with outside entities.

May 17, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency adds more than 6,300 chemicals and 3,800 chemical facilities regulated under its Toxic Substances Control Act to the public database Envirofacts. This allows the American public to access new information about which chemicals may be affecting their area.

May 13, 2010
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is criticized by scientists for failing to accurately measure the size of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Many scientists want to use a variety of methods to estimate spill size, but NOAA adheres to a figure of 5,000 barrels per day and declines to share information about its calculation process.

May 5, 2010
The Deepwater Horizon disaster has also brought to light the fact that Minerals Management Service (MMS) approved hundreds of oil drilling and exploration projects without obtaining the necessary permits designed to protect endangered whales and other marine mammals under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Despite an announced moratorium on approvals of new oil projects, MMS appears to be continuing to approve new projects.

May 3, 2010
The Departments of Interior and Commerce announce their intention to respond to a plan by the National Academy of Sciences to better manage water operations in the California Bay-Delta. Better use of the scientific information provided by this plan will enable the region to avoid unnecessary tolls on endangered and threatened species in the region.

April 30, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency launches a website to educate the public about the consequences of the oil spill for public health and the environment. It has pledged that all of the data the agency collects will be posted on the website.

April 29, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency launches a collection of web tools that provide the public with information about clean water enforcement, allowing individuals to investigate water violations in their area and compare their area to others.

April 28, 2010
The Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Interior (DOI) releases a report calling for a DOI scientific integrity policy. "The Department of the Interior … has never had, and currently operates without, a scientific integrity policy," it states. "Without sound policies to protect the scientific community and general public from potentially flawed scientific research, data, and publications, Interior’s reputation and its public trust are at risk."

April 26, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration announces its medical device advisory committees will now vote on the scientific merits of a device, rather than its “approvability,” and reviewers will report the range of scientific opinion discussed in the group, instead of a single consensus opinion. This is a step to overcoming a history of medical device approval processes that did not fully consider scientific opinions.

April 21, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration announces draft revised guidance that would increase transparency by publicly disclosing details when it grants conflict of interest waivers allowing participation in advisory committees.

April 19, 2010
The Food and Drug Administration releases a database with regulatory and scientific information about medical devices and radiation-emitting products. This database provides the public with knowledge of the regulatory decision-making process as well as the data upon which these decisions are based.

April 7, 2010
Federal government entities, including the Environmental Protection Agency, US Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Interior, and Labor, release their open government plans. While these plans are a major step forward in making the government more transparent, they are missing some key provisions, including robust media and publications polices.

April 7, 2010
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finds that the Alaska Marine Management Service (MMS) office—responsible for approving oil drilling permits and collecting royalties—lacks sufficient guidance forincorporating scientific findings into its environmental analyses and shares information with its staff very selectively.

April 1, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency takes steps to better communicate about its regulation of mountaintop mining by providing clearer instructions to regional offices, releasing scientific reports for peer review, and instituting a public database with information about the status of mining permits. In 2007, the Office of Surface Mining distorted the science surrounding mountaintop mining.

March 24, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency creates the Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) database, making the scientific literature behind its regulatory decision-making searchable and available to the public.

March 15, 2010
EPA Releases Public Database on Risk Assessments: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes chemical safety information more accessible to the public by putting the Toxic Substances Control Act chemical inventory online free of charge.

March 12, 2010
FDA Task Force Seeks to Increase Transparency With Regulated Industry: As the final phase of their transparency initiative, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeks public comment on ways to increase transparency for regulated industries.

March 9, 2010
White House A Year Late on Scientific Integrity Directive: As of the one year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Scientific Integrity memorandum, the Office of Science and Technology Policy has yet to produce recommendations for a Scientific Integrity Directive.

March 5, 2010
DOI will Expand Efforts to Conserve Sage-Grouse Habitat: The Department of Interior (DOI) announces plans to extend state and local efforts to protect the Sage-Grouse, but stops short of adding the species to the Endangered Species List. Under the Bush administration, the scientific findings regarding protection of the Sage-Grouse were manipulated by a political appointee.

February 18, 2010
EPA Launches New Transparency Website: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launches a new Rulemaking Gateway, which provides citizens with more information about proposed regulations.

February 18, 2010
USDA and FDA to Coordinate Produce Safety Efforts: The US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration announce plans to coordinate their effort to increase food safety of US produce.

February 8, 2010
White House Posts Open Government Dashboard: The White House publishes their Open Government Dashboard. The Dashboard assesses each executive department on how well they are meeting the requirements of the open government directive.

February 3, 2010
Public Still Waiting for Regulatory Reform: One year ago, Obama asked the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to recommend a new executive order to improve the way the White House reviews regulations that protect our health, safety, and environment. No recommendations have been put forward. During the Bush administration, OMB was frequently to blame for political interference in science.

January 26, 2010
FWS Agrees to Revisit Tainted Delta Fish Decision: The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) agrees to revisit a controversial decision to deny endangered species protection to the Sacramento splittail. The initial splittail decision was one of many that was manipulated by Bush appointee Julie MacDonald.

January 25, 2010
EPA Sets New Nitrogen Oxide Rule: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sets a new rule that strengthens the national air quality standard for Nitrogen Oxide for the first time since 1971. The new standard is consistent with the findings of EPA staff scientists and the independent Clean Air Science Advisory Committee.

January 21, 2010
EPA Increases Transparency on Chemical Risk Information: As a part of its broader effort for comprehensive reform of toxic substance laws, the Environmental Protection Agency has decided to reject some types of confidentiality claims and make more data about potentially harmful chemical available to the public.

January 12, 2010
FDA Unveils First Phase of Transparency Initiative: The Food and Drug Administration announces the first phase of its transparency initiative. This first phase is designed to increase public understanding of FDA operations, how it makes decisions and how it approves drugs.

January 7, 2010
EPA Proposes Science-based Smog Standards: The Environmental Protection Agency proposes a new rule which will bring ground-level ozone standards in line with the scientific consensus and in compliance with the Clean Air Act. In 2008, the Bush administration ignored independent scientific advice and set a standard which leaves millions of Americans unprotected.

December 22, 2009
EPA Seeks to Disclose Pesticide Inert Ingredients: In a first step towards further rule-making, the Environmental Protection Agency issues a request for public comments on the disclosure of inert pesticide ingredients.

December 9, 2009
Administration Releases Science Advisory Committee Data: The General Services Administration releases data concerning the makeup of federal advisory committee. This release was in response to the Obama administration's open government directive. The information is an important step towards necessary federal advisory committee reform.

December 8, 2009
Obama administration releases Open Government Directive: Nearly a year after President Obama announced plans to make the federal government more transparent, the White House releases an open government directive to all federal agencies. Although it is a good first step, the directive is lacking many of the changes UCS recommended in our comments to OMB.

December 4, 2009
David Michaels Confirmed as OSHA Director: The US Senate confirms Dr. David Michaels as head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dr. Michaels, formerly of the George Washington University school of Public Health and the Clinton Era Department of Energy, has been a longtime advocate for scientific integrity in government.

November 17, 2009
EPA Proposes Science-Based Air Quality Standards for Sulfur Dioxide: The Environmental Protection Agency proposes to strengthen the national air quality standard for sulfur dioxide for the first time in 40 years. The Bush administration suppressed scientific evidence when it drafted the Clear Skies Act, which regulates sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants.

November 2, 2009
FDA Transparency Task Force Holds Second Public Meeting: The Food and Drug Administration solicits feedback on how to make the agency more transparent and accessible.

October 27, 2009
FMCSA Sets Limit on Truck Driver Hours Based on Science: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issues a new rule for truck driver safety that is based on scientific evidence. The previous rules were repeatedly struck down in court. In 2008, UCS and other groups filed an amicus brief arguing for science-based standards.

October 22, 2009
Marcia McNutt Confirmed as USGS Director: The US Senate unanimously confirms Dr. Marcia McNutt as director of U.S. Geological Survey and Science Advisor to the secretary of the interior. In her confirmation hearing, Dr. McNutt promised to bring strong science leadership to her position.

October 15, 2009
EPA plans stronger enforcement of the Clean Water Act: In a congressional hearing, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lisa Jackson announced a new plan for stronger enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The plan will increase transparency and consistency of regulation, target the most serious violations and utilize technology to increase the quality of data collection and analysis.

October 13, 2009
EPA releases Suppessed Climate Report: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releases a Bush era report which found that increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions endangers human health. This science in the report, which was suppressed by the previous administration, concludes that GHG's should be regulated because climate change poses a serious risk to the country.

October 2, 2009
FDA Transparency Task Force Seeks Input: The FDA holds a second hearing on ways to create transparency at the agency.

October 1, 2009
EPA Increases Transparency in Pesticide Registration Decisions: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces a new policy for new pesticide active ingredients. The agency will now add risk assessment and proposed decisions to a public docket and open a 30 day public comment period for all new pesticide active ingredients.

September 29th, 2009
EPA Creates Chemical Management Strategy: The Environmental Protection Agency announces a new strategy for chemical management. This strategy includes developing and publishing action plans for the chemicals of greatest concern, filling in the gaps of information in existing data, and enhanced transparency and reporting for chemicals with high production volume.

September 22, 2009
EPA Establishes Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Program: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizes the new mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting system and is scheduled to begin monitoring GHG emissions from large stationary sources in January 2010.

September 16, 2009
EPA to Reconsider Ozone Standards: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces it will review the current ground-level ozone air pollution standards to ensure that they adequately protect human health. The Bush administration had violated the spirit of the Clean Air Act by setting standards that were not in line with the scientific consensus.

September 16, 2009
Healthcare Bill Addresses Company Payments to Physicians: To increase accountability and transparency, the Senate Finance Committee includes a provision in "America's Healthy Future Act," requiring medical companies to disclose payments or gifts they make to physicians or hospitals.

September 9, 2009
Food Safety Website Launched: In a joint effort, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launch foodsafety.gov. The website is designed to give consumers the latest information about food recalls and other food safety information in one easily accessible location.

August 31, 2009
EPA Seeks Input for Enforcement Priorities: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) creates a new blog where the public can submit suggestions for future enforcement priorities at the agency.

August 21, 2009
Promoting an Ethical Culture at Interior: Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary, Ken Salazar, issues a memo designed to enhance and promote ethical conduct within the DOI. The memo, which gives the Departmental Ethics office increased financial resources and officer authority, is in part a response to recent ethical scandals at Interior.

August 7, 2009
EPA Instructs Staff to Cooperate with Investigators: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator issues a memo instructing EPA staff to respond to all requests made by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and clearly states that staffers do not need to pass information through managers before they speak to investigators. This memo rescinds a 2008 directive that created significant barriers to this communication.

August 5, 2009
EPA Revisits Flawed Toxic Chemical Analysis: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opens a public comment period to reevaluate the effects of the chemical perchlorate in drinking water. The Bush administration allowed other federal agencies to compromise an earlier EPA analysis.

July 24, 2009
FDA Holds Listening Session on Transparency: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) holds a public meeting to explore ways to create more transparency at the agency. Unfortunately, a recent law requiring FDA to be more transparent, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, has yet to be fully implemented.

July 22, 2009
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Confirmation Promises: Samuel Hamilton, nominated to be Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, tells Senate Committee: "I also believe that our conservation work must be driven by sound science; and that the activities we undertake for species on the ground at individual project sites must strategically support achievement of our conservation goals at broader scales, such as landscapes, major eco-regions, or entire species' ranges."

July 22, 2009
EPA Considers Improving Air Pollution Monitoring for Lead: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces that it will reconsider air pollution monitoring requirements for lead in urban areas and near industrial sources. With adequate data, the EPA will be better able to fully protect the public from lead and other harmful air pollutants.

July 8, 2009
OSTP Seeks Open Government Strategies: Following President Obama's March 2009 directive, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) wrapped up an online process that engaged the public in generating open government strategies.

June 30, 2009
EPA Grants California Right to Limit Global Warming Pollution: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves a waiver for California to impose stricter air pollution standards for motor vehicles than those set by the federal government. This action reverses the Bush administration's position and upholds the authority granted to California under the Clean Air Act.

June 16, 2009
Obama Refuses to Disclose White House Visitors: The Obama Administration refuses to release White House visitor logs, prohibiting the public from knowing who is at the table influencing federal government decisions. Several weeks later, the administration announces it will release visitor logs, but not in real time and with the right to not disclose sensitive guests.

May 21, 2009
EPA Changes Toxic Chemical Assessment Process: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) increases transparency, accountability and efficiency in the way the government assesses toxic chemicals. But the White House Office of Management and Budget may still wield the authority to interfere in the agency's scientific analysis.

May 21, 2009
EPA Restores Science to Air Pollution Standards: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restores the ability of EPA scientists and an independent science advisory committee to help set air pollution standards. Controversial Bush administration rules had eliminated the independent assessment by scientific experts and injected political determinations much earlier in the decision-making process.

May 21, 2009
Public Access to Govenment Data: The White House rolls out data.gov, a site that the Obama administration claims will eventually provide access to all data generated by federal agencies.

April 28, 2009
Protecting Endangered Species: In a partial victory for endangered species, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke use their authority to roll back controversial changes to the scientific foundation of the Endangered Species Act, responding to the concerns of thousands of concerned scientists and citizens. The secretaries have yet to roll back other rules that undermine the ability of science to protect species and face a May 9 deadline to do so.

April 27, 2009
Scientific Integrity and Democracy: In a speech before the National Academy of Sciences, President Obama connects scientific integrity with our nation's future. "Our progress as a nation—and our values as a nation—are rooted in free and open inquiry. To undermine scientific integrity is to undermine our democracy."

April 17, 2009
EPA Regulations: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act on the grounds that they pose a threat to human health and welfare.

April 2, 2009
EPA Confirmation Promises: Gina McCarthy, nominated to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation, tells a Senate committee: "I am sitting here today not because I am a scientist, but because, like President Obama and Administrator Jackson, I intend to leave the science to the scientists."

March 31, 2009
HHS Confirmation Promises: Health and Human Services (HHS) Nominee Kathleen Sebelius says that she "will work to restore trust in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the leading science based regulatory agency in the world…by sending a clear message from the top that the President and I expect key decisions at the FDA to be made on the basis of science—period."

March 24, 2009
Interior Confirmation Promises: Tom Strickland, nominee for assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks at the Interior Department, says in his confirmation hearing: "My commitment to you is that, if confirmed, I will work to see that the decisions of the [Fish and Wildlife] Service are based on science, not politics."

March 19, 2009
Freedom of Information Act Reform: Attorney General Eric Holder issues a memo to the heads of executive departments and agencies providing guidance on how they should comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in order to "reflect out nation's fundamental commitment to open government."

March 11, 2009
Whistleblower Signing Statement: In signing a federal spending bill, President Obama issued a signing statement that sent mixed signals about his support for whistleblower protections for federal employees who report the misuse of science. The signing statement asserted that the president retains the authority to direct his agency heads to prevent the communication of certain confidential information to Congress. Obama has said he intends to use signing statements sparingly.

March 11, 2009
Reporting on Toxic Chemicals: In a spending bill, Congress restores the original reporting requirements of the Toxics Release Inventory, in which companies disclose what chemicals they are releasing into their local communities. The Bush administration had relaxed the reporting requirements.

March 9, 2009
Presidential Scientific Integrity Memorandum: President Obama asks the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a plan aimed at ensuring the integrity of federal science. The memo lays out guiding principles to improve transparency in policymaking, ensure that well-qualified individuals are appointed to science positions, and protect those who expose abuse of science.

March 3, 2009
Improving Endangered Species Act Rules: President Obama directs his agencies to take steps to protect the scientific foundation of the Endangered Species Act, which was significantly weakened in the last days of the Bush administration. "For more than three decades," said the president, "The Endangered Species Act has successfully protected our nation's most threatened wildlife, and we should be looking for ways to improve it—not weaken it."

February 26, 2009
Regulatory Reform: The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) solicits public comments on the administration's executive order on regulatory reform, unprecedented for an executive order, which will determine how the White House coordinates regulations that protect our health, safety, and environment. The Bush OMB interfered in agency science multiple times to prevent regulations from moving forward.

February 13, 2009
Limiting Science Advice: Democratic and Republican Senators place political "holds" on Dr. John Holdren and Dr. Jane Lubchenko, nominated to top administration science posts, preventing them from assuming their responsibilities and delaying their confirmation by 35 days.

February 12, 2009
Transparency at NOAA: Administrator nominee Jane Lubchenco pledges to "bring transparency, fairness, integrity and accountability to the job, using a consultative and collaborative approach" to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

February 6, 2009
Accessing Scientific Advice: Administrator Jackson announces the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will conduct a review of the Bush administration's decision to deny California permission to set standards on greenhouse gas emissions, stating "It is imperative that we get this decision right, and base it on the best available science and a thorough understanding of the law."

February 3, 2009
Reducing White House Power: President Obama rescinds President Bush's Executive Order 13422, which made science-based regulation more difficult and made science more susceptible to political interference.

January 23, 2009
EPA Fishbowl Memo: On her first day in office, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson issues a memo to employees detailing three values she will try to uphold: respecting science, upholding the rule of law, and conducting business in a transparent manner. "When scientific judgments are suppressed, misrepresented or distorted by political agendas, Americans can lose faith in their government to provide strong public health and environmental protection," she wrote. "Policy decisions should not be disguised as scientific findings."

January 21, 2009
Government Transparency: President Obama addresses his first memo to "Transparency and Open Government," stating that "Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in government."

January 20, 2009
Inaugural Address: Just a few minutes after being sworn in as president, Barack Obama pledges to "restore science to its rightful place" in his inaugural address.

January 15, 2009
Interior Secretary Confirmation: Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar says that "we will review what decisions have been made and see if there is action necessary to correct decisions to make sure they are in compliance with the law and in compliance with the science."

January 3, 2009
Whistleblower Legislation Fails: Although whistleblower legislation passed both the House and Senate, Congress adjourns without sending final legislation to the president for signature, setting back protections for government scientists who report political interference in their work.

December 17, 2008
Science Advisor Appointed: President-elect Obama announces his intention to name John Holdren to the position of science advisor to the president and restores the position to its previous status under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton. "Promoting science isn't just about providing resources—it's about protecting free and open inquiry," said Obama. "It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it's inconvenient—especially when it's inconvenient."

December 16, 2008
Obama Addresses Science: In announcing his intention to nominate Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy, President Obama says "His appointment should send a signal to all that my administration will value science. We will make decisions based on facts, and we understand that the facts demand bold action."

December 16, 2008
UCS New Year's Resolutions: UCS releases ten New Year's Resolutions for Federal Government Science based on Federal Science and the Public Good, our blueprint for restoring scientific integrity to federal policymaking.

November and December, 2008
UCS Meets Transition Teams: UCS meets with the presidential transition teams to present our recommendations for the Obama administration's first 100 days.

October 20, 2008
Obama Supports EPA Scientists: Candidate Obama sends a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees stating that "I strongly oppose attempts by the Bush Administration to thwart publication of EPA researchers' scientific findings, as well as the attempt to eliminate the agency's library system."

September 25, 2008
Obama Releases Science Agenda: Candidate Obama releases his science agenda with restoring scientific integrity to federal policymaking at the top of the list.

August 30, 2008
Obama Pledges Reform: Candidate Obama responds to Science Debate 2008 questions, pledging support for scientist whistleblowers and committing to "restore the basic principle that government decisions should be based on the best-available, scientifically-valid evidence and not on the ideological predispositions of agency officials or political appointees."

February 14, 2008
Scientific Integrity Blueprint Released: UCS releases Federal Science and the Public Good, a report recommending steps the next administration can take to restore scientific integrity to federal policymaking. Accompanying the report is a scientist statement calling on the government to "create conditions conducive to a thriving federal scientific enterprise."