SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

The Department of the Interior must base its decisions on the best available science, and the American people and the scientific community must have confidence that the scientific process is free of misconduct or improper influence. To that end, In September 2010, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a Secretarial Order establishing a policy to ensure the integrity of the science and scientific products used in the Department’s decision-making and policy development.

The policy, which applies to all Department employees, clearly affirms that Interior employees, political and career, will never suppress scientific or technological findings or conclusions. Further, it ensures scientists will not be coerced to alter or censure scientific findings, and employees will be protected if they uncover and report scientific misconduct by career or political staff. The new policy is consistent with the Presidential Memorandum on Scientific Integrity, dated March, 9, 2009, and conforms with the December 2010 guidance and recommendations of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. I will discuss lessons learned during the development of the Department’s policy and detail its success thus far.