--- title: Department of Energy Scientists Are Free to Share Findings description: A new policy announced this week by the Department of Energy protects the ability of career scientists at the agency to speak out canonical: https://time.com/4632978/department-of-energy-climate-change-barack-obama/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-12T16:56:04.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:04:19.508Z article:section: Science og:title: Obama Administration Makes It Harder to Muzzle Department of Energy Scientists og:description: As fears swirl about Donald Trump's incoming administration og:url: https://time.com/4632978/department-of-energy-climate-change-barack-obama/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b57ce25b5a868fe/6988b559cd1bba9732703938/ernest-moniz-department-of-energy.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4928 og:image:height: 2772 og:image:alt: ernest moniz department of energy og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama Administration Makes It Harder to Muzzle Department of Energy Scientists twitter:description: As fears swirl about Donald Trump's incoming administration twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0b57ce25b5a868fe/6988b559cd1bba9732703938/ernest-moniz-department-of-energy.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Obama Administration Just Made It Harder to Muzzle Department of Energy Scientists > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=9c1c4cf4-d7b9-4d0c-9aef-ba45454c1962&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change [Watch (HLS stream): A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/U3bhooK6.m3u8) (2:27)  _Published 2016-11-15. Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated that environmentalism is not his priority. Now, Climate scientists, policymakers and diplomats are questioning how his presidency will shape the future of climate change policy._  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jan 12, 2017 4:56 PM UTC  US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks during a press conference at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, April 1, 2016.. US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks during a press conference at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, April 1, 2016.. Jim Watson+AFP/Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jan 12, 2017 4:56 PM UTC A new [scientific integrity policy](https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/DOE%20Scientific%20Integrity%20Policy%2001112017.PDF) announced this week by the Department of Energy protects the ability of career scientists at the agency to speak out as fears continue to swirl there over how President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration may approach science. The policy is rooted in a view that DOE scientists are “free and encouraged to share their scientific findings and views” and says explicitly that scientists are free to discuss their work and views on scientific issues freely in a variety of settings. The policy also encourages scientists to participate in professional conferences and publish their work in peer-reviewed journals. “It’s part of establishing the environment that allows scientist to do their work, to stay with us, and to recruit new people,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, according to a Washington _Post_ [report](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/11/on-the-eve-of-trump-obamas-energy-dept-leaves-behind-a-new-scientific-integrity-policy/?utm%5Fcampaign=9ff1bda80e-cb%5Fdaily&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=Daily%20Carbon%20Briefing&utm%5Fterm=.0e404d554fc8). Moniz did not mention Trump explicitly in the remarks. Trump’s transition team [raised fears](http://time.com/4602461/climate-change-scientists-donald-trump/?iid=sr-link3) in the agency after last year’s election when it asked for the names of department officials who worked on climate issues or traveled to United Nations conferences on climate change. The transition team eventually [said](http://time.com/4602315/donald-trump-energy-questionnaire/?iid=sr-link1) the question “was not authorized,” but the fears remain among the ranks of the department’s career employees. The controversial DOE questionnaire also suggested that data collected by the department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) might have been subject to political influence from the Obama administration. That agency, which provides data on the energy industry to a wide variety of stakeholders, is widely respected across the political spectrum. The new DOE policy includes a rule blocking other agency employees—specifically political appointees and press officers—from trying to shape the results of scientific research. Trump’s choice for Energy Secretary—former Texas [Governor Rick Perry](http://time.com/4581601/rick-perry-vanilla-ice-dancing-with-the-stars/)—could undo the new measure, but targeting a policy plainly aimed at protecting scientific integrity would draw quick controversy. Scientists in a variety of fields have expressed concern at the outlook for a Trump presidency, but the level of concern varies from the typical funding woes to anxiety over whether the new administration might delete data or engage in a wholesale attack on science. “People here are saying, ‘we don’t care what that scientific evidence is, we know better,’ said Andrew Rosenberg, Director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, after [news](http://time.com/4602461/climate-change-scientists-donald-trump/?iid=sr-link3) of the DOE questionnaire. “Or they’re trying to directly corrupt the scientific evidence by attacking the scientists.” ## Transcript [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax. It'll get cooler, it'll get warmer. It's called weather. Now that he's President- elect, here's what at stake for the future of the environment. Thank you. Paris Agreement which was negotiated last year and came into effect just a few weeks ago was a monumental step for addressing climate change. And setting a path forward for the coming decades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Donald Trump has promised to cancel the Paris agreement, or at the very least, renegotiate it. Stop all payments of the United States tax dollars to UN Global Warming Programs. He does not have the authority to cancel it. It's an agreement with more than 190 countries. He also doesn't have the power to withdraw from it. Immediately at least, it would take at least three years to go through those processes. He does have the power to ignore it. It's unlikely that other countries will feel comfortable making big reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions, if the United States is not taking the lead. Another policy at stake is Obama's clean power plan. [ APPLAUSE ] Single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global Climate change. Trump has said that he would cancel it. Environmental Protection, what they do is a disgrace. Every week they come out with new regulations. He has the authority to do that. He could direct the EPA to eliminate the clean power plan. We'll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can't destroy businesses He will definitely if he does face litigation from environmental groups that will argue that it's the EPA's role to do that. It's a long winding process. And certainly not something that he's going to be able to accomplish in his first 100 days. Environmentalists are trying to remain Optimistic and looking at a lot of the market trends that have resulted in the reduction in coal power and other greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of it is outside of the realm of regulation. But also trying to stay optimistic about the Paris agreement. Some of them say even if Donald Trump Withdraws, they are confident that other countries will step up to the plate. I'm 16 years old from Mwanza, Tanzania. Looking forward, there's a lot of things that Trump can do to slow progress on climate change, but many of the trends he doesn't have control over. So there is reason for optimism if you're looking in the long- term. 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