U.S. Department of Commerce Gags Scientists

ENS reported today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a gag order on government scientists. Federal government climate, weather, and marine scientists will be able to "give out only their name, rank, serial number, and the temperature," according to Jeff Ruch, director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. A response to Monday's Supreme Court decision on EPA regulating global green house gases?

According to ENS, "The new administrative order on 'Public Communications' covers the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA , which includes the National Weather Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Ocean Service, and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. It forbids NOAA scientists from communicating any relevant information, even if prepared and delivered on their own time as private citizens, which has not been approved by the official chain-of-command."

This regressive policy not only gags their work environment, but also their private lives. ENS reports, ". . . these federal scientists must obtain agency pre-approval to speak or write, whether on or off-duty, concerning any scientific topic deemed 'of official interest'."

First Amendment challenge, anyone?