EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy
EPA's 2025 Scientific Integrity Policy
EPA has a strong culture of scientific integrity centered on the adherence to professional practices, ethical behavior, and the principles of honesty and objectivity when conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities. EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy (Policy) establishes practices and procedures needed to maintain and enhance scientific integrity at EPA and carries forward many of EPA's priorities from the 2012 policy including addressing inappropriate influence and political interference in science. EPA’s Scientific Integrity Policy does not bind decision-makers to particular policy outcomes but rather lays out processes and practices to ensure that the best available science is presented to agency decision-makers and informs our work.
The Policy also includes a federal-wide definition of scientific integrity, descriptions of our roles and responsibilities across EPA – including those of EPA’s Chief Scientist – to uphold scientific integrity, and definitions of essential terms related to scientific integrity. The 2025 Policy supersedes the 2012 Scientific Integrity Policy.
2025 U.S. EPA Scientific Integrity Policy (pdf)
EPA's 2012 Scientific Integrity Policy
EPA's first Scientific Integrity Policy was released in 2012. It provided the initial framework intended to ensure scientific integrity throughout EPA and promote scientific and ethical standards.