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Alan Thornhill: Scientific integrity is essential to the operations and execution of the mission
of the Department of the Interior. We're science-based. We make science-based decisions. But unless
the foundation of that science is solid, then everything is called into question. So the
integrity of science is really about the process and the products and how the science is actually
used in decision-making and all the steps that lead up to it. It all has to be above
reproach and full of integrity.
Creating a culture of scientific integrity is more than just individuals ensuring that
they're doing things correctly. It has to do with everyone that touches the scientific
process or products along the way, from support people to administration to contracting to
individuals who create scientific documents and develop experimental procedures. It's
important that the integrity of all of those steps be expected and encouraged and nurtured
along the way so that everyone has the same understanding, that the work they do is important,
that it leads up to that which supports decision-making in the department.
So this policy specifically acknowledges the importance of the integrity of the process
and the products of the science, all the way through the decision-making step. And that's
why the policy applies to all federal employees, including those that use it in public-affair
issues, use it in decision-making, or support it in any way in the procurement or administrative
process. All of those people are covered by this policy. And this policy gives us an opportunity
to catch problems that may be brewing at a very early place so that we don't get ourselves
into trouble later on. Rather, we can take easy, corrective measures early in the process
so that we can continue to operate with integrity and not lose it.