Overview of SCB
Policy Approval Process
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| An overview of SCB's Policy Approval Process is available here.
After reviewing the policy page and resources, one of the most effective ways you can bring science to policymakers is to establish relationships with your government officials wherever you are.
In the U.S., for example, citizens can get to know their Senators, Members of Congress and agency officials working on issues they care about most. Under "Policy Tools and Guidelines for SCB Members" on the navigation bar to the left, we have web sites for offices and research reports to help guide you through the international and U.S. federal policy ecosystems. U.S. SCB members may also want to call the Capitol Operator at 202-225-3121, and ask to be connected to the offices of your House Members and Senators and Committees of interest. |
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Scientific Integrity: Defining the Issue
Re-enforcing the sciences in the governmental decision-making and environmental
assessment processes. |
Scientific Integrity News:
Request for Environmental Impact Statement of Proposed Active Forest Management in Spotted Owl Critical Habitat -- April 2, 2012
Calling for continued science-based protection for threatened northern spotted owls, the Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society, and the American Ornithologists’ Union joined together today in asking the Department of the Interior (DOI) to reconsider its proposal for commercial timber harvesting in the Pacific Northwest.
Read the letter to Secretary Salazar HERE
Read the press release that calls for a full EIS HERE
SCB Comments on Problematic Proposal "On Significant Portion of Its Range"; Offers Alternative to Prevent Weakening the Impact of the Endangered Species Act-- March 8, 2012
Today, the Society for Conservation Biology submitted extensive comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding the Services’ draft policy defining the phrase “significant portion of its range.” Because the U.S. Endangered Species Act allows the Services to list species as threatened or endangered based on threats “throughout all or a significant portion” of a species’ range, it is critically important that this definition be based on the best available scientific research in order to effectively conserve biodiversity.
SCB outlined several areas where the Services’ draft policy appears to ignore several key principles from the field of conservation biology. Most importantly, the policy appears to ignore the basic purpose of the ESA, which clearly envisions protecting declining species, and the ecosystems on which they depend, before they become threatened or endangered with extinction globally, and to restore such threatened species that have been extirpated from significant portions of their historic range.
The comments were approved by the Society’s global Policy Committee, which includes conservation scientists and other experts in a wide range of the sciences and law, and filed on behalf of the Society’s North America and Marine Sections.
The text of SCB’s comments can be found HERE.
Background provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service on the Services’ draft policy can be found HERE.
A critique of the Services’ draft policy by the House Natural Resources Committee’s ranking minority member can be found HERE.
More Endangered Species News is available here
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SCB-Led Workshop at the 2012 Conference of the National Council on Science and the Environment Produces Ten Recommendations for Improving Bio-Security
(The following is not an SCB Policy Statement but the product of a workshop led by SCB's Bio-Security Task Force at the Conference on Environment and Security hosted by the NCSE in January 2012. NCSE conferences draw experts from agencies, societies, NGOs, and students together to address different issues each year.)
- Spotted Owl News:
Other Scientific Integrity News:
- SCB, Wildlife, Ecological and Statistical Societies Write Congressional Leaders In Defense of the Endangered Species Act,
July 25, 2011
- SCB and other scientific societies joint letter to Office of Government Ethics - 2011(pdf)
- SCB and Sister Societies’ Call for Scientific Integrity Across the Interior Department Sparks Response and Action
•Initial letter to Interior Secretary Salazar
•Interior’s Response
SCB appreciates the recent naming of SCB members as Scientific Advisors to US Fish and Wildlife Service and the former Minerals Management Service and looks forward to working with the Scientific Advisors of Interior to enhance the protection of science and of those who develop it and use it in the conservation of natural resources.
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Scientific Integrity Tools
Whistleblower Protection - Are you a federal employee with information concerning an apparent violation of law, abuse of authority, gross waste, or mismanagement or serious risk to public health or safety? If so, you may want to contact:
More Tools Coming Soon! |
Scientific Integrity: Defining the Issue
Re-enforcing the sciences in the governmental decision-making and environmental assessment processes.
The past eight years have seen much disregard for science and abuse of scientific and conservation whistleblowers. Oversight committees have begun reviewing these abuses and considering changes to correct them.
In addition, SCB has opportunities to pursue remedies that affect more than one agency by continuing its current interests in the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, other laws built around the science of conservation biology and environmental assessment requirements. This is being done through the Endangered Species Coalition, as well as other formal and informal coalitions, and directly in cooperation with congressional staff and colleagues in conservation and scientific organizations.
Issues:
The range of general new remedies is fairly well set while natural resource law-specific remedies are less well developed.
1) How to improve and expand whistleblower protection and remedies for decisions determined to be undermined by the suppression of science in Federally funded operations and research; and
2) How to better prioritize, fund, protect and integrate research, analysis, and assessments in natural resource and environmental regulatory decisions.
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