"EPA Scraps Science Panel: 'Your Service ... Has Concluded'"

"Acting EPA chief Andrew Wheeler yesterday fired a panel of scientific experts charged with assisting the agency's latest review of air quality standards for particulate matter. He also scrapped plans to form a similar advisory panel to aid in a recently launched assessment of the ground-level ozone limits.

Those steps, coupled with Wheeler's previously announced decision to concentrate authority in a seven-member committee made up mostly of his appointees, quickly sparked objections that the agency is intent on skewing the outcome of those reviews in favor of industry.

"I think they are trying to rush through a process that will provide a result that is driven by political science, not health science," said Paul Billings, senior vice president for public policy at the American Lung Association."

Sean Reilly reports for Greenwire October 12, 2018.

SEE ALSO:

"Scientist: EPA Changes Are An Effort To 'Gut Rules' That Protect Public" (CNN)

"EPA Disbands Review Panels for Some Federal Air Quality Standards" (Bloomberg Environment)

"EPA Scraps Pair Of Air Pollution Science Panels" (Washington Post)

Source: Greenwire, 10/15/2018