The White House deleted references to climate change from a proposal limiting California’s ability to set stricter vehicle emissions standards.

The Department of the Interior’s Invasive Species Advisory Committee was discontinued at the direction of the Trump administration.

NOAA’s Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee has been discontinued at the direction of the Trump administration.

The Bureau of Land Management released the final environmental impact statement for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and concluded that there is not a Climate Crisis

On three separate occasions in September 2019, President Trump stated that Alabama was under threat from Hurricane Dorian even though no government weather forecast predicted any impact would be felt in the state.

The Trump administration is limiting the scope of scientific input into the USDA’s 2020 dietary guidelines

Federal officials suppressed report detailing how Trump administration plan to divert water for agriculture in California would risk the state’s salmon runs.

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said that moving USDA groups out of DC to Kansas City was done to reduce the agency’s workforce.

The EPA informed staff that it would no longer oppose the Pebble Mine project in Alaska, disregarding previous EPA studies

The U.S. Navy has quietly shut down its Task Force on Climate Change

EDGI report shows that DOI removed all reference to climate change from its WaterSMART program web page.

EDGI report shows that USFS removed references to climate change from its webpage about wilderness areas.

EDGI report shows that USGCRP removed sections about climate change from its website

EDGI report shows that the EPA reclassified its research categories on its website to remove the climate change group.

EDGI report shows that the DOE removed references to climate change from its BER group webpages

EDGI report shows that EPA changed its website to downplay the impact of climate change on the heat island effect.

EDGI report shows that OSHA removed references to the impact of climate change from its page on heat related illnesses in the workplace

EDGI report shows that the USGS removed all links and references to climate change from its Science Explorer section

The USDA buried a plan detailing how agriculture can adapt to climate change

USGS revised a researcher-written news release on a study of the California coastline to omit all reference to the impact of climate change on the coastline

Scientists at the USDA claim that the agency has deliberately failed to publicize research publications that address the impact of climate change

President Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to terminate “at least one-third” of their current advisory committees. Critics argue that this will limit the scientific information and advice available to federal agencies and thus undermine science-based decision-making.

In a televised interview on Good Morning Britain, President Trump questioned the scientific consensus on climate change, asserting that weather patterns have “changed both ways.” The President also contracted scientific research showing that climate change is contributing to more frequent and severe extreme weather events.

White House officials ordered a senior scientist at the U.S. Department of State not to submit written testimony on the threats posed by climate change to the House Intelligence Committee.

A panel of five scientists published a report arguing that the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to take gray wolves off the endangered species list is not supported by the science.

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey were directed to use computer-generated models that only project climate change impacts through 2040. The scientists had previously modeled climate change impacts through 2100, which experts say provides a more accurate picture of climate change because the effects of current greenhouse gas emissions will primarily be felt after 2040.

EPA announced that it will no longer participate in the Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Program. Established by EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in 1998, the program funds 13 research centers, which “explore ways to reduce children’s health risks from environmental factors.”

EPA officials ignored the advice of agency scientists when developing new rules with respect to the use of asbestos. The scientists argued that all new uses of asbestos should be banned “because the extreme harm from this chemical substance outweighs any benefit.” That argument, however, rejected by officials.

Under the Trump Administration, 1.6 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska has been opened up for oil drilling. In the rush to complete the environmental review process before leasing can begin, scientists have been repeatedly ignored and sidelined.

As a result of budget cuts by the Trump Administration, 16 out of 22 Land Conservation Cooperative research centers have been placed on indefinite hiatus or completely eliminated.

President Trump posted a tweet which appeared to endorse erroneous claims, made by Patrick Moore, that climate change is “[f]ake [s]cience” and that increasing carbon dioxide emissions will benefit society.

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposed to cut funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) by 9% (compared to FY2019 levels).

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to cut funding for DOE by 10.8% (compared to FY2019 levels). Under the budget, DOE’s innovation arm — the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) — would be eliminated, and funding for its Office of Science reduced by 16.5%.

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to cut funding for HHS by 11.9% (compared to FY2019 levels). Funding for the National Institutes of Health, within HHS, would decline by 12.6% (compared to FY 2019 levels).

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to increase funding for NASA by 1.4 percent (compared to FY2019 levels). However, while total funding for NASA would increase, several key research programs would face cuts. In particular, the budget eliminates funding for the WFIRST space telescope, and two earth science missions.

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to cut USDA funding by 14.8% (compared to FY2019 levels). The cuts would affect several USDA research programs, including the Agricultural Research Service which would see its funding decline by 9.5%, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service which would see its funding decline by 14.7%.

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to increase funding for DOC by 9.3 percent (compared to FY2019 levels). However, while total funding for DOC would increase, several NOAA-administered research programs would face cuts. In particular, the budget proposes to eliminate funding for “Sea Grant, Coastal Zone Management Grants, and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery,” to “allow NOAA to better target remaining resources to core missions and services.”

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to reduce funding for DOI by 10.9% (compared to FY2019 levels). Funding for DOI’s research arm — the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) — would decline by 14.4 percent (compared to FY2019 levels).

The Trump administration’s FY2020 budget proposes to cut EPA funding by 31.2% (compared to FY2019 levels), and eliminate a number of the agency’s research and education programs, including the Climate Change Research Program and the Environmental Education Program.

The Federal Communications Commission announced plans to auction licenses for the use of electromagnetic spectrum in the 24 gigahertz band. That band is currently used to transmit weather data collected by satellites, weather balloons and radars, and ocean buoys. Scientists have warned that using the band for other purposes could lead to corruption of the weather data and/or otherwise interfere with its transmission.

During a Congressional hearing, Senator Rand Paul erroneously suggested that the benefits of immunization have not been scientifically proven.

The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs deleted several references to “climate change” from an EPA guidance document titled “Planning for Natural Disaster Debris.” The deleted references highlighted the link between climate change and extreme weather events.

The Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) — a scientific panel charged with advising the Federal Emergency Management Agency — has not met in almost 5 months. During that period, TMAC has lacked a quorum, reportedly because the White House and Department of Homeland Security have delayed issuing security clearances to new members.

A member of the Trump administration’s National Security Council, William Happer, emailed the deputy administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, James Morehard, to complain about the inclusion of climate change information on its website.

In a tweet discussing recent cold weather in the Midwest, President Trump appeared to suggest that climate change is not occurring, stating “[w]hat the hell is going on with Global Waming? [sic] Please come back fast, we need you!” The President’s statement was widely criticized by climate scientists, who emphasized that cold weather does not disprove the existence of climate change.

President Trump posted a tweet suggesting that recent cold weather in the U.S. disproves the existence of climate change. The President’s tweet was widely criticized by climate scientists, who noted that it confused short-term weather trends with longer-term changes in climate.

Due to the partial government shutdown, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has delayed release of its annual disaster-cost estimate, showing the total cost of weather and climate-related disasters in 2018.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration have been forced to delay release of the annual global temperature analysis for 2018 due to the partial government shutdown.

Hundreds of scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture were prevented from attending the 27th Annual Plant and Genome Conference due to the partial government shutdown.

Federal government scientists, from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other agencies, were prevented from attending the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society due to the partial government shutdown.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was forced to delay release of an update to the World Magnetic Model due to the partial government shutdown.

DOE officials ordered staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to cancel all travel scheduled through the end of February 2019. The officials cited the partial government shutdown as the reason for requiring travel to be cancelled. However, DOE is not affected by the shutdown, having been fully-funded through the 2019 fiscal year.

Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were told they would “not be able to participate” in the annual meeting of the American Meterological Society (AMS) due to the partial government shutdown which forced the cancellation of “all official NOAA travel to the AMS.”

Due to the partial government shutdown, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration blocked access to its National Climatic Data Center website, which includes multiple climate data sets.

Citing the partial federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cancelled its 30th annual Research Forum on Invasive Species, which had been scheduled to take place from January 8 to 11. According to USDA officials, the forum will not be rescheduled during 2019, due to difficulties “coordinating with speakers and the hotel.”

Citing the government shutdown, the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management blocked access to a website, containing links to documents discussing proposed changes to the conservation rules for greater sage grouse habitat. The block, which appears to violate DOI guidance, was implemented despite the fact that DOI is currently accepting comments on the proposed rule changes.

A scientist from Virginia Commonwealth University was prevented from collecting water samples in the Shenandoah National Park due to the partial government shutdown. Prior to the shutdown, samples had been collected weekly as part of a forty-year study, intended to track how streams in the park and surrounding areas are recovering from acidification.

The CDC’s Climate and Health Program office was merged with its National Asthma Control Program office. Prior to the merger, the CDC issued a dismissal notice to the head of the Climate and Health Program, Dr. George Luber, but later withdrew it after he threatened to bring legal proceedings. The CDC subsequently reassigned Dr. Luber to its waterborne diseases unit.

Tennessee Congressman-elect and former Senator Mark Green appeared to suggest that vaccination can cause Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proven that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD.

The Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water erroneously claimed that no data was available showing the number of streams that would be excluded from the new definition of “waters of the United States” proposed by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Internal EPA documents show that agency staff had conducted a detailed analysis and determined that at least 18% of streams and 51% of wetlands nationwide would be excluded from the new definition.

A White House spokesperson questioned the accuracy of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, claiming that it overstates the risks associated with climate change because it was “based on the most extreme scenario, which contradicts long-established trends.” That claim was disputed by climate scientists, including one of the Assessment’s authors, who noted that it “considers ALL scenarios.”

President Trump posted a tweet suggesting that recent cold weather in the U.S. disproves the existence of climate change. The President’s tweet was widely criticized by climate scientists, who argued that it confused short-term weather trends with longer-term changes in climate.

EPA staff have been prevented from updating an agency website, titled “Climate Change Indicators in the United States,” which is intended to “compile a key set of indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change.” During the Obama Administration, new indicators were added to the website every six months, but no updates have been made since President Trump took office.

During a televised interview, President Trump questioned the scientific consensus on climate change, suggesting that scientists disagree on its causes. He also asserted that some scientists have overstated the role human activities play in climate change, saying “[w]e do have an impact but I don’t believe the impact is nearly what some scientists say.”

The White House published a new report, titled “Science and Technology for America’s Oceans,” identifying research priorities for oceans science and technology. The report omits a section discussing research priorities with respect to “the ocean’s role in climate,” which had appeared in all previous versions of the report.

During a televised debate, Representative Don Young asserted, contrary to decades of scientific research, that climate change is not caused by human activities. Rep. Young also accused scientists of overstating the risks posed by climate change, saying “[i]t’s being used as an instrument to frighten people.”

EPA published a draft “Air and Energy Strategic Research Action Plan” identifying research needed to address its “strategic objectives and mandates to improve air quality.” Unlike previous versions adopted during the Obama administration, the Action Plan does not list climate change preparation as a “research objective.”

Vice President Mike Pence questioned scientific research showing that climate change is primarily caused by greenhouse gas emissions, telling reporters that its causes “are yet to be seen.”

In a televised interview, President Trump questioned scientific research showing that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver of climate change, saying we “don’t know” what would have happened “with or without man.”

EPA announced that it was disbanding the particulate matter review panel. The panel has historically provided advice to EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee on the need for changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) removed at least two pages discussing climate change from its website. One of the pages had previously served as DOT’s “Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse,” providing a “one-stop source of information on transportation and climate change issues. The second page had included links to studied on the impacts of climate change on the transportation sector.

The White House Office of Management and Budget removed several paragraphs discussing climate change and its impact on human health from a proposed EPA rule. The removed paragraphs emphasized the particular vulnerability of “children, the elderly, and the poor . . . to climate-related health effects.”

EPA is reportedly planning to close its Office of the Science Advisor. According to its website, the office is responsible for “science policy development and implementation” at EPA, and aims to “ensure that the highest quality science is better integrated into the Agency’s policies and decisions.”

The White House published a new National Biodefense Strategy, outlining measures to prevent and mitigate disease outbreaks. Despite numerous scientific studies finding that climate change will increase the risk of such outbreaks, it is not discussed anywhere in the strategy.

A draft planning document, developed for the New Bedford Whaling Historical Park, was edited to remove all references to “climate change.” The edits were made after officials in the National Park Service’s Northeast Regional Office warned park employees that “we’re being told . . . [to] avoid” discussion of future climate impacts.

DOI filed a “Request for Records Disposition Authority” with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). In the request, DOI seeks permission from NARA to destroy records relating to its conservation, land use, energy, and water programs. Many of the records document the findings of scientific research or contain data needed to conduct such research.

The White House Office of Management and Budget removed several paragraphs discussing climate change and its impact on human health from EPA’s regulatory impact analysis on the proposed Affordable Clean Energy Rule.

HHS announced that it would use funds originally allocated to research and other programs to cover the costs of its Unaccompanied Alien Children program. A total of $266 million will be re-diverted, including $87.3 million originally allocated to the National Institutes of Health for cancer and other research.

Scientists from Oklahoma State University and the University of Georgia were engaged by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to contribute to a study of the impact of farming on an endangered insect. The scientists allege that FWS officials dismissed concerns they raised about the study’s methodology and pressured them to “work on a rushed timeline at odds with what they saw as good science.”

Staff in EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program were forced to stop work on chemical risk assessments after agency officials commenced a review of the program’s priorities. 28 of IRIS’s 30 staff were subsequently directed to spend 25 to 50 percent of their time working with EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention.

Officials at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cancelled a project to assess air pollution in the Houston area following Hurricane Harvey. The cancellation was ordered by the director of NASA’s Earth Science Division after officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality expressed concern that NASA’s project would “overlap with . . . existing efforts” to monitor pollution and would not be “useful.”

EPA issued a new organizational chart which omitted any reference to the Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP). The Director of OCHP, Dr. Ruth Etzel, was subsequently placed on administrative leave without explanation. This followed several months of what Dr. Etzel described as “guerrilla warefare,” being waged by top EPA leaders, as part of an effort to “disappear” OCHP.

A survey of scientists at DOI’s National Park Service found that over one-quarter engage in self-censorship, avoiding discussion of, and work on, climate change even when not explicitly told to do so.

A survey of scientists at DOI’s National Park Service found various restrictions on their ability to communicate with the public and journalists.

A survey of federal government scientists found evidence of political interference in scientific research at USDA. The survey found, among other things, that resources have been shifted away from USDA programs and offices involved in “politically contentious” research.

A survey of scientists at DOI’s Fish and Wildlife Service found that many have been told not to work on topics deemed “politically contentious” and to omit “politically contentious” words, including “climate change” and “science,” from their reports.

A survey of scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey found that nearly one-third engage in self-censorship, avoiding discussion of, and work on, climate change even when not explicitly told to do so.

A survey of scientists at DOI’s U.S. Geological Survey found that many have been asked or told not to work on topics deemed “politically contentious.”

A survey of federal government scientists found evidence of political interference in scientific research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The survey found, among other things, that scientists have been told to avoid research linking environmental problems to action by industry.

The White House Office of Management and Budget and Office of Science and Technology Policy jointly released a memorandum outlining the Trump administration’s research and development priorities. Unlike previous versions, issued during the Obama administration, the memorandum does not list climate change as a priority area.

References to “climate change” were removed from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s 2017 Sustainability Report. In a departure from previous versions, the 2017 report no longer lists “climate change adaptation” as a priority, and omits a section discussing “proposed actions” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not discuss climate change in its After Action Report on the 2017 hurricane season. Speaking about the report, FEMA’s Deputy Administrator for Resilience appeared to suggest that climate change is a natural phenomenon, stating “the climate shifts, it changes over time.”

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, removed an online medical guidelines database. The database, known as the National Guideline Clearinghouse, was thought to be the world’s most comprehensive online repository of medical guidelines.

Senior EPA officials reported sought to block release of a scientific study discussing the health hazards posed by formaldehyde.

References to “climate change” were removed from the Department of the Treasury’s 2017 Sustainability Report. In a departure from previous versions, the 2017 report no longer lists “climate change resilience” as a goal of the department, and omits discussion of programs aimed at addressing climate change risks.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture were directed to include, on all research published in scientific journals, a statement indicating that “[t]he findings and conclusions in this preliminary publication have not been formally disseminated by the” department.

DOI issued a new media protocol that requires scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey to obtain approval before speaking to journalists. The protocol permits DOI to reject interview requests on scientific matters.

Four Republican Senators requested that the Inspector General of the National Science Foundation (NSF) commence a review of its grant-making process. The Senators allege that NSF has issued several grants in violation of federal law, including one supporting a program intended to educate meteorologists about climate change.

EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) announced that it was disbanding three sub-committees — the Ecological Processes and Effects Committee, Environmental Engineering Committee, and Environmental Economics Advisory Committee — “[o]n the recommendation of the SAB Staff Office.”

A political appointee at EPA — the Deputy Director for Public Affairs John Konkus — ordered the cancellation of at least four grants for research on climate change and related topics.

The U.S. Geological Survey, within the Department of the Interior, will require scientists wishing to attend certain conferences to provide their presentation title(s) and an explanation of how their research relates to the priorities of Interior Secretary Zinke. The information will be reviewed by a political appointee, who will determine which scientists can attend each conference.

EPA officials ordered staff in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program not to release human health toxicity assessments prepared for chemicals. Staff were told they could only release chemical assessments that had been specifically requested by the leadership of an EPA program office. Program office leaders were subsequently told to limit their assessment requests to “no more than three to four chemicals.”

NASA cancelled its Carbon Monitoring System (CMS), a $10 million-a-year program, which provides funding for research aimed at improving the measurement of carbon stocks and fluxes.

Since President Trump took office, NASA staff have avoided publishing climate change information online, and discussing the topic on social media. This is reportedly due to self-censorship by career staffers who are concerned about “provoking the [Trump] administration.”

During a hearing on May 16, 2018, several members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology misrepresented climate science. Among other things, they incorrectly suggested that human activities are not the primary driver of climate change, and that climate change is not causing sea level rise.

White House and EPA officials sought to block publication of HHS study on the health effects of water contamination due to concerns that it would be a “public relations nightmare.”

A DOD report discussing how climate change is affecting military bases was edited to remove several references to “climate change” and downplay its impacts. For example, several references to climate change-induced sea level rise and its impact on military bases were removed, as were references to declines in Arctic sea ice.

DOI’s Bureau of Land Management prevented at least 14 scientists from attending the annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Several of those prevented from attending had been scheduled to speak at a symposium, which had to be cancelled due to the lack of participation by government scientists.

The White House Office of Management and Budget has delayed the release of sustainability reports prepared by at least seven federal agencies under Executive Order 13693 (signed by President Obama in March 2015).

President Trump signed a memorandum directing the EPA Administrator to make changes to certain air pollution programs. The changes have implications for the use of science in developing and implementing air pollution protections.

Officials at the National Parks Service edited a report on the impact of sea level rise and flooding on coastal national parks to remove all references to humans’ role in causing climate change.

EPA officials ignored the advice of agency scientists when determining whether a county in Wisconsin met federal air quality standards for ozone. Agency scientists had recommended that the county be classified as a “nonattainment” area but, after lobbying by then-Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, EPA decided to classify the area as “in attainment” with the ozone standards. At the time, the scientists indicated that there was no “sound technical basis” for the ruling.

One DOL advisory board – the Council on Occupational Safety and Health – has been disbanded and four others have had their operations suspended. As of March 2018, the boards had not met in at least nine months.

EPA’s Office of Public Affairs issued a set of approved talking points on climate change. The talking points appear to be intended to cast doubt on the scientific consensus on climate change, with one stating “[w]hile there has been extensive research . . . clear gaps remain,” including in “our understanding of the role of human activity” in contributing to climate change.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it would cancel the Jason research program. Established in the 1950s, the program brings together approximately 50 academic scientists to research and advise on various national security issues, including with respect to nuclear weapons systems.

DOI revised the charters of twenty-one resource advisory councils responsible for advising the Bureau of Land Management. Under the revised charters, councils are required to “provide recommendations for implementation” of various executive orders and secretarial orders, leading to concerns that they will be put “in a position of implementing an agenda rather than providing solid advice.”

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a so-called “science transparency policy” that would prevent studies based on non-public scientific data being used in agency rulemakings.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a new strategic plan in which all references to “climate change” and “global warming” have been removed.

EPA scientists were warned against participating in a survey on scientific integrity within the federal government. An email containing a link to the survey was classified as spam “stemming from an unknown entity” by EPA’s Computer Security Incident Response Center, despite those running the survey providing advance notice to that it would be sent.

As of March 2018, EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) had not met in at least six months, leading to concerns among members that EPA is trying to sideline the board. According to members, ordinarily, the SAB would have multiple interactions (including in-person meetings and teleconferences) during any six month period.

EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research, which distributes grants for research on the effects of chemical exposure, will be eliminated as part of an agency reorganization involving the merger of three research offices.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to reduce funding for NASA by 0.3% (compared to FY2017 levels). Among other things, the budget would eliminate funding for the international space station from 2025, cancel a project to upgrade communications satellites, and terminate five earth sciences research missions.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to cut EPA funding by 33.7% (compared to FY2017 levels), and eliminate a number of the agency’s research and education programs, including the Climate Change Research and Partnership Program and the Environmental Education Program.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to reduce funding for DOI by 16.8% (compared to FY2017 levels). The reductions are achieved, in part, through cuts to various DOI grant programs.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to cut USDA funding by 16.4% (compared to FY2017 levels). Under the budget, funding for a number of USDA research programs, including statistical research programs administered by the Economic Research Service, would be reduced or eliminated.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes cuts to a number of National Science Foundation (NSF) programs, including a 56% reduction in the NSF account that supports the construction of research platforms and the acquisition of scientific instruments.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to cut funding for DOE by 3.4% (compared to FY2017 levels). Funding for DOE’s innovation arm, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), would be eliminated and funding for its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy cut in half.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to maintain funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at FY2017 levels, despite imposing additional responsibilities on the NIH, including establishing three new sub-institutes to take over functions currently performed by other HHS offices.

The Trump administration’s FY2019 budget proposes to reduce funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by 20% compared to FY2017 levels. Among other things, the budget would eliminate $273 million in funding for NOAA grant programs, including the National Sea Grant College Program and National Estuarine Research Reserve System.

The White House announced plans to restructure the interagency National Science and Technology Council, which was established in 1993 to coordinate science policy across the federal government. The restructure will be overseen by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which has requested input from 20 federal agencies.

In an interview on a Nevada television station, EPA Administrator misrepresented climate research indicating that rising temperatures will have widespread negative impacts, suggesting that they could actually be positive.

Two senior scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey resigned in protest over an alleged breach of the USGS’s scientific integrity policy by the Secretary of the Interior.

During an international television appearance, aired on ITV, President Trump misrepresented scientific data regarding climate change. The President made several incorrect statements, including suggesting that global temperatures are not increasing, and sea ice cover is not declining.

During the government shutdown, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration temporarily suspended access to a website providing climate change data, while continuing to allow access to several other sites. The climate change website returned to service on January 23, 2018, following the end of the government shutdown.

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology announced it was reviewing the involvement of Dr. Linda Birnbaum, the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in a study of federal toxics regulation and requested that HHS also commence a review.

Researchers at the National Energy Technology Laboratory were pressured, by DOE officials, to change a report on electric system reliability during extreme weather events. The changes were purportedly intended to bolster the Trump administration’s claims that retention of coal-fired power plants is vital to maintain reliability.

Amtrak published a new five strategic plan, which omitted any reference to climate change. Previous versions of the plan had listed “environment / climate change” as the number one threat to Amtrak’s system.

As of December 31, 2017, President Trump had filled fewer government science positions than any other recent President, at the same point in time. Just 20 of the 83 positions designated by the National Academies of Sciences as “science appointees” had been filled.

DOI staff were directed to ensure that grants to outside groups promote the Trump Administration’s policies and have certain grants of $50,000 or more approved by political appointees.

Documents describing the climate action plans of 92 national parks were removed from the National Park Service website.

President Trump unveiled a new National Security Strategy, which omitted “climate change” from a list of global threats.

In a letter to Senator Tom Udall, EPA misrepresented the findings of the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee, in relation to the need to delay certain provisions of the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard.

Policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control were given a list of 7 words, including “evidence-based” and “science-based,” which should not be used in documents prepared for next year’s budget.

The Federal Highway Administration’s “Sustainable Transport and Climate Change” program was renamed the “Sustainable Transportation and Resilience” program and several references to climate change were removed from its website.

Of 43 Trump administration nominees in science-related positions, only 41% had a master’s degree or doctorate in a science field, compared to 58% under President Obama.

The food advisory committee, the only body dedicated to advising the Food and Drug Administration on food-related science policy, was disbanded.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration announced plans to re-evaluate the work of its advisory committees.

DOI capped the number of staff who could attend the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting at 199 (down from 450 in previous years).

DOI ordered the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to “stop-work” on a study of offshore oil and gas drilling commissioned by BSEE pending review.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded 40% fewer grants containing the words “climate change” in 2017, compared to 2016, with scientists apparently engaging in “self-censorship” and using alternative terms (e.g., “extreme weather”).

Over 200 scientists left EPA in 2017, most of whom have not been replaced. Over the course of 2017, EPA hired just 7 scientists.

DOE cancelled an ongoing project researching how tropical forests will respond to climate change. The study, which involved over 130 scientists, was launched in 2015 and due to continue until 2025, but will shut down 7 years early (in 2018).

The Secretary of the Interior reprimanded the head of Joshua Tree National Park after climate change-related tweets were posted from the park’s account.

EPA proposed to repeal emissions standards for freight trucks based on research funded by the biggest truck manufacturer challenging the standards.

Congress ordered the dismantling of a back-up satellite needed to investigate the impact of climate change on sea-ice in the poles.

Political appointees at the Department of the Interior (DOI) blocked release of a report, examining the impact of three widely used pesticides on endangered and threatened species. The report, which had been prepared by scientists at DOI’s Fish and Wildlife Service, found that use of the pesticides would threaten the continued existence of thousands of species.

EPA announced that scientists receiving agency grants would not longer be able to serve on its advisory boards.

EPA cancelled talks by 3 scientists who were scheduled to discuss climate change at a conference on the state of the Narragansett Bay.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) published a new five-year strategic plan which omitted any reference to “climate change.” The previous version of the plan had included a detailed discussion of the likely impacts of climate change on DOI’s activities and required the department to take steps to mitigate those impacts.

As of October 23, 2017, the Trump administration had taken longer than any other to nominate a science adviser to head the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

EPA rewrote certain chemical rules against the advice of agency scientists who warned that the changes may result in an “underestimation of the [chemicals’] potential risks to human health and the environment”

Between October and December 2017, EPA made various changes to its International Cooperation website, including removing information about climate change.

A U.S. Forest Service scientist was denied approval to travel to an international fire conference where he was scheduled to speak on severe fire weather conditions and climate change.

Multiple links to materials aimed at helping local government officials adapt to climate change were removed from EPA’s website.

Agents in EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division were reassigned to Administrator Pruitt’s security detail, forcing them to suspend investigation of climate crimes.

The FBI’s 2016 Crime in the United States report contained almost 70% fewer data tables than the 2015 report.

A section on climate science was deleted from the website of EPA’s “SmartWay” program and other sections were amended to remove references to “climate change” and related terms.

HHS suspended the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices which lists addiction and mental health programs that have been independently assessed and deemed scientifically sound.

Employees at the Centers for Disease Control were instructed not to speak with any member of the news media, regardless of the nature of their inquiry, without the approval of the communications office.

DOI’s Office of Surface Mining directed the National Academy of Sciences to stop work on a study of potential health effects from mountaintop removal coal mining. DOI had previously committed $1 million for the study, but is now reconsidering its funding decision.

The White House Office of Management and Budget and Office of Science and Technology Policy jointly released a memorandum outlining the Trump administration’s research and development priorities. Unlike previous versions, issued during the Obama administration, the memorandum does not list climate change as a priority area.

EPA announced that it will require new and certain existing grants to be approved by a political appointee, who has told staff he is looking for references to “climate change.”

The Trump administration disbanded an advisory committee which assisted state and local officials to use the National Climate Assessment in long-term planning.

EPA staff have been directed to prioritize industry requests for changes to environmental regulations. Many of the requested changes are contrary to agency scientific research.

A former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official revealed that, while employed as a field supervisor in Arizona, he was pressured by the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of the Interior to reverse his decision regarding a biological assessment of a proposed massive housing development project.

DOE-funded researchers were asked by staff at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to remove references to “climate change” and “global warming” from project descriptions.

Information on climate change mitigation and adaptation was removed, and then returned, to USDA’s “Climate Hubs” website.

References to “climate change” and links to climate-related documents, including an educational fact sheet on climate change and human health, were removed from the National Environmental Health Sciences website.

DOI prevented the Superintendent of Glacier National Park, a noted climate change expert, from participating in Mark Zuckerberg’s tour of the park.

HHS cancelled $213.6 million in funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs and research. The cancellation will affect five-year grants awarded to 80 institutions by the Obama administration.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a news release publicizing the Annual Greenhouse Gas Index. The release noted that the index has increased 40% since 1990 but, unlike previous releases, failed to attribute this increase to human activity.

EPA reassigned four staffers in the policy office, who had previously worked on climate change adaptation.

An intern in EPA’s communications office was instructed by co-workers not to mention “climate change” or “going green” in tweets.

President Trump nominated Sam Clovis, a former radio announcer and economics professor, with no “hard-science” qualifications to the USDA’s top science position.

Approximately 50 DOI employees, including some working on climate-related issues, were involuntarily reassigned to unrelated positions.

DOE closed the Office of International Climate and Technology which was formed in 2011 to help the U.S. provide technical advice to other nations seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

EPA reallocated staff from the climate change division and climate protection partnership division to other areas.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed a 23% cut in funding the National Hansen’s Disease Program. The program, which is operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration, conducts research on leprosy.

The Trump administration’s proposed FY2018 budget included $347 million in funding for climate and environmental research at DOD. This represents less than 1% of the amount requested by DOD and would result in cuts to several research programs.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposes a 59% cut in funding for DOE’s earth and environmental sciences program which plays a key role in federal climate change research.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed a 25% cut in funding for research programs at NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

The Trump administration’s FY 2018 budget proposed an 11% cut in funding for DHS programs supporting climate and other environmental research.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed a 19% cut in funding for climate and environmental research programs at DOI.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposes to cut funding for EPA climate and environmental research programs by 39% or $438 million.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposes to cut funding for NASA climate and environmental research programs by 8% or $151 million.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed to cut funding for NOAA’s climate and environmental research programs by 7% or $49 million.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed a 10% cut funding in for the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s climate and environmental research programs. This is expected to lead to 800 fewer awards to universities and other institution in 2018 compared to 2017.

The Trump administration’s FY2018 budget proposed a 12% cut in funding for USDA climate and environmental research programs.

DOI amended the press release for a paper on sea level rise to remove a sentence identifying climate change as its cause.

EPA dismissed at least five academics serving on its scientific review board and indicated that it may replace them with industry representatives.

Political appointees at DOI criticized a U.S Geological Survey press release, which described climate change as “dramatically” reducing the size of glaciers. One official described the statement as a “perfect example of [scientists] going outside their wheelhouse” and another indicated that “we need to watch for inflammatory [language] in their press releases.”

References to “climate change” on the FHWA’s website and were replaced with alternate terms such as “resiliency” and “sustainability.”

EPA buried a webpage intended to educate school children about climate change, removing a link to the page from an archived version of its website.

DOE’s “Clean Energy Investment Center” was renamed the “Energy Investor Center” and all references to “clean energy” were removed from its website.

EPA denied a petition to ban Chlorpyrifos, a chemical widely used as a pesticide, against the advice of top agency scientists who had warned that exposure exceeds safe levels in many areas.

DOI froze the work of more than 200 advisory boards, committees, and subcommittees to enable it to review “the charter and charge of each committee.” DOI also allowed the charter of the Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science to expire.

A page describing efforts to address climate change, and providing links to DOI and other federal resources on climate change and renewable energy, was removed from the Bureau of Land Management’s website.

The “Tribal Climate Resilience Program” was renamed the “Tribal Resilience Program” and all references to “climate” and “climate change” were removed from its website.

The chair of EPA’s Board of Scientific Counselors was pressured to change her testimony before Congress to downplay the Trump administration’s decision not to reappoint half of the board’s members.

EPA’s climate change website was removed and replaced with a message indicating that it is being updated to reflect the agency’s priorities under President Trump.

DOI’s main climate change webpage was revised to omit various references to the adverse effects of climate change and a detailed discussion of DOI’s climate change priorities.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he would not renew the National Commission on Forensic Science, a 30 member advisory committee established to review forensic science standards.

An EPA scientist was warned not to speak on climate change at public-facing events or to have such events approved by headquarters in advance.

DOE changed its website to remove references to renewable energy as a low-emission alternative to fossil fuels and focus solely on renewable energy’s potential to create jobs.

Up to 27 DOE scientists were told they could not attend the 2017 International Atomic Energy Agency conference.

A GOA website on managing federal oil and gas resources was edited to remove content on the environmental and public health risks of shale oil and gas production.

Amtrak blocked release of a study, titled “Amtrak NEC Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment,” detailing the impact of climate change on a 10-mile stretch of the Northeast Corridor Route connecting Boston to Washington D.C. A redacted version of the study was released, pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, in November 2018.

Links to various climate change resources, including the National Climate Assessment, were removed from the DOE’s main climate change website.

At a hearing of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Rep. Lamar Smith criticized climatologists, asserting that they often “operate outside the principles of the scientific method.” Rep. Smith also questioned the accuracy of climate projections, saying that constitute “[a]larmist predictions [that] amount to nothing more than wild guesses.”

In an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt misrepresented climate science, suggesting that scientists have not established that greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause of climate change.

References to EPA’s Office of Science and Technology policy developing “science-based standards” were changed to read “economically and technologically achievable standards.”

A supervisor in DOE’s international climate office instructed his staff not to use the terms “climate change,” “emissions reduction,” or “Paris Agreement.”

USDA staff were instructed to avoid using certain terms, including “climate change,” which should be replaced with “weather extremes.”

Half of the 34 EPA staffers scheduled to attend the Alaska Forum on the Environment were told they could no longer attend the event.

EPA staff received an email warning them that, while they are free to speak publicly, doing so presents risks.

The Energy Information Administration rewrote its “Energy Kids” website to downplay the environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels. Two charts showing the link between coal burning and greenhouse gas emissions were removed.

Thousands of documents detailing animal welfare violations were removed from USDA’s website after being made publicly available for decades.

DOI removed several references to the adverse effects of fossil fuels and the need to develop cleaner renewable energy technologies from its energy website.

The head of communications for the EPA transition team indicated that agency scientists would be required to have their research reviewed before publication.

The Badlands national park deleted four tweets, containing basic scientific facts about climate change, from its account. The tweets were reportedly posted by a former employee who was not authorized to use the park’s account.

The White House deleted links to the U.S. National Strategy for the Arctic and related documents from its website.

The White House website was re-launched with all references to “climate change” removed.

On December 20, 2017, Trump administration official ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to suspend all research grants.

The Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, which was a key adviser to past DOE secretaries, was reportedly “sunset.” DOE has no plans to reconstitute the board at this time.

CDC preemptively cancelled a planned summit on climate change and public health due to concerns about the Trump administration’s reaction.

The State Department removed various pages mentioning climate change from its website, including a page providing links to the department’s 2010, 2014, and 2016 Climate Action Reports.

The Trump transition team instructed DOI staff not to send out press releases, post on social media or blogs, or update websites and to consult with senior officials before speaking to the media.

The Trump transition team instructed HHS staff not to send out press releases, post on social media or blogs, or update websites and to consult with senior officials before speaking to the media.

The Trump transition team instructed USDA staff not to send out press releases, post on social media or blogs, or update websites and to consult with senior officials before speaking to the media.

EPA staff amended internal program documents to replace “climate change” with “climate resiliency” in an effort to prevent program cuts.

Budget cuts resulted in NOAA rescinding four of the eight offers made to researchers to participate in the 2017 Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. As a result, fewer researchers participated in the 2017 program than in any other year since it was launched.

Between June and December 2017, various content was removed from the website of HHS’s Office of Women’s Health, including pages discussing breast cancer and lesbian and bisexual health.

EPA staffers are being frozen out of decision-making in their areas of expertise, with political appointees making decisions instead.

The Trump transition team sent, then disavowed, a survey seeking information about DOE staff who had worked on climate change.

Internal DOE documents were amended to re-frame “climate change” projects as “weather” or “jobs” projects.

EPA’s “Climate Ready Water Utilities” program was renamed the “Creating Resilient Water Utilities” program and several references to “climate change” and “climate science” were removed from its website.

The Trump transition team requested information about USDA’s Office of Climate Change, including the names of all staff members.

In late 2016, following the presidential election, several references to “climate change” were removed from the website of the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The White House Office of Management and Budget issued new guidelines on the use of “influential scientific, financial, or statistical information” by federal agencies. The guidelines direct federal agencies to make the research underlying such information publicly available. Critics fear that this could prevent agencies relying on scientific studies that are based on confidential data which cannot be publicly disclosed.