Off topic: Dissenting Scientist Fired by Fish and Wildlife Service

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Subj: Dissenting Scientist Fired by Administration's Fish and Wildlife

Service 8/5/2004 6:15:25 AM Pacific Standard Time

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August 5, 2004 | _Back Issues_ (http://ga3.org/ct/IdaRG_Y1VjTg/)

 

Dissenting Scientist Fired by Administration's Fish and Wildlife Service

Last May _BushGreenwatch_ (http://ga3.org/ct/I7aRG_Y1VjTb/) reported that a

17-year veteran of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) had filed a

legal complaint against the agency, charging that agency officials deliberately

used flawed scientific data in setting policy for protecting the Florida

panther, an endangered species with only 60-80 animals remaining in the wild.

[1]

 

Now Fish and Wildlife officials have notified the agency employee, biologist

Andrew Eller, that they intend to fire him for " unacceptable " performance.

Eller has spent the last 10 years working in the Florida panther recovery

program.

The move follows the firing on July 9 of Theresa Chambers, chief of the U.S.

Park Police, after she publicly stated that the government response to the

9/11 terrorist attacks had stretched her staff's capacities to the limits,

and that she needed more resources. Eller's dismissal reinforces the growing

perception that the Bush Administration is utterly intolerant of internal

dissent.

Eller's legal challenge, which was filed jointly with the advocacy group

_Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility_

(http://ga3.org/ct/71aRG_Y1VjTO/) (PEER), alleges that studies used by FWS

inaccurately inflate the

panthers' population in South Florida, thereby minimizing the amount of

habitat

the animals need to survive.

Specifically, the agency assumes in its population estimates that all known

panthers are breeding adults, and that the population includes no juveniles

or aged animals. The agency further minimized habitat needs by considering

only daytime habitat, when the panthers are at rest, and not nighttime habitat

needs, when they are active. [2]

On July 7, the Fish and Wildlife Service replied to the Eller's challenge

and admitted using flawed data, stating:

" We acknowledge that despite being published in peer-reviewed scientific

journals, some of the information you are challenging has, over time, been

determined to have limitations... "

Nevertheless, FWS asserted that it would continue using the inaccurate data

until 2006, by which time several huge developments in Southwest Florida,

within shrinking panther habitat, may be approved. According to PEER, Fish and

Wildlife is under enormous political pressure to approve the developments.

[3]

Commenting on Eller's firing, PEER executive director Jeff Ruch told

_BushGreenwatch_ (http://www.bushgreenwatch.org/) , " When it comes to

intimidating

its own scientists, the Fish and Wildlife Service is about as subtle as a Mack

truck. The Fish and Wildlife Service is signaling that under the Bush

administration scientists who won’t play ball will be blackballed. " [4]

Under government rules, Eller has 30 days to respond to his proposed

dismissal. If FWS proceeds with its plans to remove him, he can challenge the

action

before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the court of the federal civil

service.

###

TAKE ACTION

Sign a petition and support the integrity of science through _PEER's

website_ (http://ga3.org/ct/7daRG_Y1VjTW/) .

###

SOURCES:

[1] _National Wildlife Federation Florida website_

(http://ga3.org/ct/IpaRG_Y1VjT6/) .

[2] _PEER press release_ (http://ga3.org/ct/77aRG_Y1VjTI/) , Jul. 29, 2004.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

 

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