Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science?

Strengthening Transparency or Silencing Science?

Author: Trump on Earth December 12, 2019 Duration: 29:41

Word leaked a few weeks ago that the EPA is poised to finalize a rule to limit the types of scientific studies that can be used to create new regulations. The proposal -- named "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science" -- would require public health researchers to release their raw scientific data in order for their work to be considered when the EPA sets regulations. These regulations dictate things like how much pollution companies can release into the air and water.

When the rule was first proposed, the agency received nearly 600,000 comments, the vast majority of them in opposition.  One of those came from Dr. Mary Rice, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  She also studies the effects of air pollution on lung health. On November 14th, Dr. Rice was one of 5 scientists to testify before the House Science Committee on the proposed rule.


The political landscape and the natural world collide in Trump on Earth, a podcast dedicated to chronicling the ongoing intersection of environmental policy and the maneuvers of Donald Trump and his political network. This isn't just about headlines; it's a deep dive into the real-world consequences of regulatory shifts, public lands disputes, and the changing rhetoric around climate science. Each episode unpacks the latest developments, from cabinet appointments and legislative pushes to the quieter administrative actions that reshape how America interacts with its environment. We analyze the strategies, track the players, and explore the tangible impacts on everything from air quality standards to conservation efforts. For anyone trying to navigate the complex and often contentious dialogue surrounding our planet's future within this specific political framework, this podcast provides essential context and clarity. Tune in for a focused examination of how policy decisions made in Washington reverberate across the country and the globe.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Trump on Earth
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 23: Scientists Need Not Apply? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
Sam Clovis is Trump's pick for head scientist at the USDA. He has been many things -- Air Force fighter pilot, conservative talk show host, defeated U.S. Senate candidate, co-chair of Trump's presidential campaign. But o…
Ep. 22: The Quiet Dismantling of Obama's Environmental Legacy. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:35
While the world has been paying attention to President Trump's action on immigration and health care, his administration has been steadily reshaping environmental policy. But how far has it gotten? And what can we expect…
Ep. 21: Can We Talk About Climate Change Now? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:28
Increasingly sophisticated climate science is able to tell us a lot more about the role climate change is playing in extreme weather events. But while Hurricane Irma was bearing down on South Florida last week, EPA admin…
Ep. 20: The Red State Paradox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Arlie Russell Hochschild spent five years in some of the most polluted parishes of Louisiana trying to find out why some of the people whose lives have been ravaged by the oil and petrochemical industry are deeply hostil…
Ep: 19. Renewables in the Trump Era: Doomed or Too Big to Fail? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:11
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Duration: 31:37
Only 11 percent of conservative Republicans say climate scientists understand the causes of climate change very well. So, can anything change their minds? One conservative says 'yes'. Bob Inglis is a former South Carolin…
Ep. 16: And Environmental Justice For All? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:15
In this episode of Trump on Earth, we talk with environmental justice lawyer Lisa Garcia, who was senior adviser to the administrator for Environmental Justice at the EPA during the Obama Administration. Garcia explains…
Ep. 15: It's Not Pittsburgh or Paris. It's the Planet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:35
In this episode, we talk with Ann Carlson who for years has been watching the UN climate negotiations that led to the Paris agreement. She's a professor of Environmental Law and the director of the Emmett Institute on Cl…
Bonus Episode: Guess What Else the Border Wall Keeps Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:24
President Trump's proposed 2,000-mile long, 30-foot high border wall would obstruct more than just a pretty landscape. It could bring an end to the species that live in the lush coastal grasslands, searing hot deserts, a…