NASA Takes a Pass on Scientific Integrity Policy Improvement

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) may be thumbing its nose at White House orders that agencies improve their scientific integrity policies. An Aug. 5, 2011, NASA memo says the agency's existing policies are so good they don't need improving.

This from the agency that told eminent climate scientist James Hansen he could not talk to reporters without clearance from a 24-year-old Bush campaign volunteer who had falsely claimed that he finished college.

The existing NASA scientific integrity policies do not offer any clear guarantee that reporters can talk to NASA scientists without permission and supervision from the public affairs office.

• "NASA Refuses To Adopt Scientific Integrity Policy," Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), Release of Aug. 15, 2011.
• "Ensuring Scientific Integrity at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," NASA, Aug. 5, 2011.
• "Climate Expert Says NASA Tried To Silence Him," New York Times, Jan. 29, 2006, by Andrew C. Revkin. See also: "A Young Bush Appointee Resigns His Post at NASA," New York Times, Feb. 8, 2006, by Andrew C. Revkin.