January 8, 2013
Fisheries biologists working in one of the most contentious areas of the country were told to pack their bags but were not told the reason why, according to a complaint filed on their behalf today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) charging political coercion and censorship of science. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has announced plans to outsource all its fisheries science for the Klamath Basin in northern California and southern Oregon, where struggles over water supplies have roiled for decades. In an unusual memo dated November 8, 2012, Jason Phillips, Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Manager, outlined his intention to reassign the seven Reclamation fisheries scientists in the Fisheries Resources Branch, stating that:
“Many perceive Reclamation’s efforts as inherently biased…There’s a concern that…in some cases we are simply carrying out studies to contradict the science of other agencies.”
Today's Posts:
Klamath River Basin Issues:
Bureau of Reclamation Memo: "After careful consideration and research, Klamath Basin Area Office management has determined that retaining a fisheries group function is no longer practical for the Area Office" Nov 8, 2012
Bureau of Reclamation Letter: Reclamation evasion on specifics Nov 30, 2012
PEER Press Release: Klamath Biologists Threatened with Removal - Scientists File Complaint Citing Political Interference and Censorship Jan 7, 2013
PEER: Complaint of Scientific and Scholarly Misconduct Complaint Jan 7, 2013
AP: Federal fisheries scientists in Klamath Basin claim censorship and coercion by water agency Jan 7, 2013
Bruce Ross' blog: Policing the party line Jan 7, 2013
Herald and News: BOR biologists fight for jobs - Scientists say Reclamation wants to suppress their findings Jan 8, 2013
NPR: Seven Southern Oregon Fisheries Biologists Allege Censorship, Coercion Jan 8, 2013