What’s the EPA’s changing relationship with science?

During his 2016 campaign, President Donald Trump talked about dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency. Now we’re seeing how that promise is playing out with his chosen appointees, their interpretation of laws and rollbacks of regulations.

Under Trump, we’re seeing a different vision of what role science itself should play in guiding the creation of rules and regulations. As the Trump administration moves to deregulate, what role does science play? And what’s the EPA’s changing relationship with science?

The World’s Carolyn Beeler moderated a panel exploring these questions at The Forum at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018.

Panelists included:

Wendy Jacobs
Emmett clinical professor of environmental law, and director, Harvard Law School Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic

Gina McCarthy
Professor of the practice of public health in the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School, and former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under Barack Obama

William Ruckelshaus
Strategic director, Madrona Venture Group, and first and fifth administrator of the EPA under Richard Nixon

Tom Udall
US senator, Democrat, New Mexico