EPA puts off final say on science transparency rule

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it is putting off for at least a year any final announcement on a controversial proposal overhauling how the agency evaluates science.

The agency’s so-called transparency in regulatory science rule was one of the most contentious proposed by former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, who stepped down last summer amid ethics scandals.

Trump replaced Pruitt with current acting administrator Andrew Wheeler, who like Pruitt describes himself as a champion of rolling back what they see as unnecessary and burdensome regulations.

Supporters say the rule would help the public understand the science behind EPA regulations, by requiring scientists to disclose more information on the individual cases underlying publichealth studies.

EPA public hearings on the proposal drew critics— health officials, academics, researchers and others, who said the rule could force regulators to ignore the findings of major publichealth studies, since much of the information on patients in those studies is confidential.