Foxes Destroying the Whole Henworld

[OnBackground]

The Union of Concerned Scientists and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility did a survey of science professionals at the US Fish and Wildlife Service that shows that there is rampant political interference with science, extensive negative impacts on wildlife protection, and a destruction of scientific candor and morale at the agency.

The top outrages (according to your editor) are:

More than half of all respondents (56%) reported cases where “commercial interests have inappropriately induced the reversal or withdrawal of scientific conclusions or decisions through political intervention;”

and

A significant minority (19 percent) reported having "been directed by USFWS decision makers to provide incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information to the public, media or elected officials;"

and

More than nine out of ten (92 percent) did not feel that the agency "has sufficient resources to adequately perform its environmental mission"

And while the survey was confined to this agency, the results are almost certainly indicative of problems at many agencies within the government.