DOE Dismisses Advisors

Samuel Bodman, the US Secretary of Energy, has disbanded the Department of Energy's advisory board. The Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) will be shut down after it completes its final report this May. DOE spokes Craig Stevens had this to say about closing the advisory board:

"[Bodman] believes that we have a strong agenda moving forward with the American Competitiveness and Advanced Energy Initiatives put forth by the White House. With these two initiatives, the secretary believes our course is charted for the next couple of years."

Stevens defends removing outside advice by citing the fact that Bodman is a Chemical Engineer by training so he "has an understanding of science of scientific processes." The DOE denies that the Advisory Board's most recent report recommending the "aggressive dismantlement of the Cold war [nuclear weapons] stockpile" had nothing to do with this decision.

Science doesn't work function by closing your eyes and ears to the results, interpretations, and opinions of others. Eliminating conflicting view points doesn't make them go away. You can't kill an idea, but you can put your fingers in your ears and hum to yourself. It's a shame that our government has resorted to such adolescent behavior again and again.

This story was covered by Nature, Chemical and Engineering News, and Think Progress among others.