An Accountable Government

For the past decade, the sealcoating industry has been targeted by an unaccountable government agency – the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the US Geological Survey6 (USGS).

Many in the press and the commentariat are interpreting the outcome of the 2016 presidential election as reflecting the anger of ordinary citizens who felt left behind by international trade deals that encourage manufacturers to move abroad. That’s one reason for discontent. But another reason is the stifling effects of over-fed government bureaucracies grown so large that segments of them are unaccountable. This has enhanced the well-being of the so-called administrative state at the expense of the public they are supposed to serve. For the past decade, the sealcoating industry has been targeted by an unaccountable government agency – the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the US Geological Survey6 (USGS). PCTC members and the pavement maintenance community are, sadly, far too familiar with the manipulation of data and advocacy thinly disguised as scientific research coming out of the USGS NAWQA office in Austin. But the Austin-based bureaucrats have been encouraged, congratulated, and their work has been promoted as an example of “policy relevant science” produced by NAWQA management at USGS Headquarters. 

As explained in its court filings, PCTC has reason to believe that, in response to its Freedom of Information Act request, USGS produced only 20% of the requested (and responsive) emails – offering no legally justified excuse for failing to produce the other 80%. One email describes how the data were manipulated to implicate sealcoat as a source of pollution by Austin NAWQA personnel. Many of the other emails are from NAWQA management and public relations personnel congratulating Drs. Mahler and Van Metre for producing “policy relevant” work. NAWQA management and public relations write about their plans for publicity and promoting the work to Congress, to the Environmental Protection Agency, and environmental activists. These same USGS managers have been responsible for responding to PCTC’s Information Quality Act filings and other complaints. Indeed, one – William Werkheiser - is now Deputy Director of the USGS and the head of the Department of the Interior’s Scientific Integrity Office. In the latter role, Dr. Werkheiser would have had the final say in the decision NOT to open a scientific integrity investigation into the clear evidence of “a loss of scientific integrity” (to use the formal language) in USGS RTS research. This is one reason that when PCTC submitted its Complaint to the DOI’s Inspector general (the Complaint process remains ongoing). PCTC included an allegation of a loss of scientific integrity against the Scientific Integrity Office. 

In discussing our issues with Congressional committees, PCTC has learned that the sealcoat industry’s experience with the USGS is similar to the experience many other industries -- large and small -- have had with different government agencies. PCTC has seen close-up the face of the unaccountable bureaucracy. Frustration and anger of people working in industries targeted for non-beneficial regulation, without any apparent recourse, undoubtedly led many to vote for change. PCTC is hopeful that the change leads to a government accountable at all levels, including the USGS and its NAWQA program.

 

Latest