EPA removes hundreds of scientific advisory committee members in purge of independent research expertise

The Environmental Protection Agency dismissed hundreds of scientists from its external scientific advisory committees, including the Science Advisory Board and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, in a sweeping action that cleared panels of academics and independent researchers. EPA's scientific advisory committees provide independent review of the scientific basis for environmental regulations covering air quality, water quality, and toxic substances. Their recommendations historically informed regulatory decisions that protect public health. The dismissed scientists had been appointed through competitive processes managed by career staff. The mass removal was part of a broader pattern in which the administration sought to restructure the advisory infrastructure that provides independent scientific input into federal regulatory decision-making.