Thread by @DrEricDing

PURE EVIL: Trump EPA just finalized a rule to limit using research to craft public health protections, unless raw data given to EPA—aimed at crippling EPA’s ability to aggressively regulate air and water. Evil catch? Most human health data cannot be legally given to EPA! 😡

2) “The “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule, which Trump WH began pursuing early in President Trump’s term, would require researchers to disclose the raw data involved in their public health studies before the agency could rely upon their conclusions”

3) “leading researchers, however, argue that the new criteria will actually restrict the EPA from using some of the most research on human subjects because it often includes confidential medical records and other proprietary data that cannot be released due to privacy concerns.

4) ““The people pushing it are claiming it’s in the interest of science, but the entire independent science world says it’s not,” said Chris Zarba, a former director of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board who retired in 2018 after nearly four decades at the agency.

5) ““It sounds good on the surface. But this is a bold attempt to get science out of the way so special interests can do what they want.””

6) Name of dystopian Trump EPA rule? The “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule would require researchers to disclose the raw data involved in their public health studies before the agency could rely upon their conclusions.

7) “It will apply this new set of standards to “dose-response studies,” which evaluate how much a person’s exposure to a substance increases the risk of harm.”

8) “Wheeler plans to announce the final rule at a virtual session hosted Tuesday by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a think tank that advocates for fewer federal regulations and disputes the idea that climate change poses a major threat to the United States.

9) “The controversial rule reflects the Trump administration’s dogged push to lock in as many policies as possible before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20. While new administration will likely seek to overturn it, such an effort will take months, if not longer.

10) “The EPA administrator is allowed to waive the requirement on a case-by-case basis, but it is possible outside groups could challenge these waivers in court.”