EPA's Science Purge

Since taking over as administrator of the EPA, Scott Pruitt's meeting calendar has been filled almost exclusively with industry interests.

Now he's opening the door even wider for industry.

On Tuesday, the Administrator issued a new decree: any scientist getting funding from the EPA will no longer be allowed to serve on the agency's scientific advisory board. He's replacing scientists with representatives from the chemical, fossil fuel and utility industries.

The scientific community is up in arms, saying there is already a very detailed process for ensuring scientific integrity and avoiding conflicts. Former EPA officials who served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations are criticizing the move as a way to stifle independent science.

This week, we'll discuss the latest in Pruitt's campaign to unravel the EPA.

Then, European utilities are scooping up American distributed energy companies at a record pace. We'll talk about Enel's acquisition of Enernoc, eMoterWerks, Demand Energy and a range of other distributed energy players. Is it sustainable?

We'll end with a conversation about the latest developments in the ongoing solar trade case. Is the sky falling yet? MJ Shiao, head of Americas research at GTM, talks through the different penalties on imports proposed by international trade commissioners.

Recommended reading:

• Washington Post: Scott Pruitt Blocks Scientists With EPA Funding From Serving as Agency Advisers
• New York Times: A Stream of Industry Meetings and Trips Home on EPA Chief's Calendar
• GTM: European Utility Giants Are on a Grid Edge Shopping Spree in 2017
• GTM Webinar: US Solar Outlook Under Section 201
• GTM: ITC Issues Recommended Remedies in Section 201 Solar Trade Case

This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.

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