What's New in Scientific Integrity?

EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan and Cross-Agency Strategy 

EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan outlines seven strategic goals focused on protecting human health and the environment and four cross-agency strategies that describe the essential ways EPA will work to carry out our mission. Cross-Agency Strategy 1 is to ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making. Actions supporting this initiative include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Promote a culture of Scientific Integrity at EPA and ensure that everyone knows their responsibilities for adhering to Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making  

• Deliver Rigorous Scientific Research and Analyses to Inform Evidence-based Decision Making  

• Communicate science with honesty, integrity, and transparency as well as make certain that information is accessible across communities. 

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Long-term Performance Goals 

By September 30, 2026, each EPA Deputy Scientific Integrity Official will certify completion of two implementation actions for each of the following scientific integrity objectives: 

• Scientific integrity is highly visible at EPA 

• All of EPA embraces and models scientific integrity 

• Robust mechanisms protect and maintain EPA’s culture of scientific integrity 

Members of the scientific integrity committee are working on implementation plans that will be shared through the Committee and then with the EPA at future annual meetings. Annual performance goal/measure will be 1 action to implement an EPA Scientific Integrity Objective in FY 2023 & FY 2024. Annual Performance goal/measure to be increased to 2 actions to implement the EPA Scientific Integrity Objectives in FY 2025 & FY 2026. 

Scientific Integrity Performance Standards   

The new FY 2023 performance standards on scientific integrity (SI) have been included in Performance, Appraisal, and Recognition System (PARS) for EPA’s Senior Executive Service (SES), senior level/senior scientist (SL/ST) employees. This initiative had the strong support of Deputy Administrator McCabe and senior leaders on the Pay for Performance Committee.   

The Performance Standard for SES and SL/ST Employees states that they are responsible for exemplifying firm commitment to principles of SI in all relevant situations and complying with and advocating for the EPA Scientific Integrity Policy when doing any of the following: conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities.