--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 11:14:11 -0500 (EST)
From: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Politics and science? (fwd)
Sender: Ken Grabach <[log in to unmask]>



Below is a statement from a representative of the US Geological
Survey.  I forward it to the list at her request for equal time, which I
willingly do.

Please understand that I wrote nothing of the messages that I forwarded.
I am not responsible for their content, I only passed them to a
representative list of the maps community because I thought it raised an
important issue.  If anyone has questions regarding my previous post, I
strongly urge you to take it up the the Social Responsibilities Round
Table of the American Library Association.  That body was responsible for
sharing the message from Mr Thomas with the library community at large.
Were it not for their involvement, I would not have forwarded it to you.


___________________________
Ken Grabach                           <[log in to unmask]>
Maps Librarian                         Phone: 513-529-1726
Miami University Libraries
Oxford, Ohio  45056  USA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 09:11:15 -0500
From: Trudy P Harlow <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Politics and science?

Dear Mr. Grabach:

I have been forwarded your posting on the MAPS listserver and hope that,
in the interest of equal time, you will post my response.

Mr. Thomas was not a Federal employee, thus could not have been fired by
the U.S. Geological Survey.  The contract "task order" that USGS had with
his employing company was cancelled.  USGS has not been advised of Mr.
Thomas' status with his company.

The task order -- which was clearly defined and primarily for geographic
information systems work on "the ecology and population dynamics of
migratory birds" -- was cancelled because the contractor was operating
outside the scope of the contract. In working on large mammal species such
as caribou, African mammals and tigers, the contractor exceeded the scope
of the task order and was in violation of Federal contracting regulations.

In addition, in direct conflict with the clearly understood standard
operating procedures of the USGS and the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center,
Mr. Thomas did not have his products scientifically reviewed or approved by
the Research Program before posting them on our Federal website.  As a
result, not only did material that was inappropriate to USGS' Patuxent
Wildlife Research Center get posted on their website, but the USGS could
not guarantee the scientific integrity of the material.

The resolution of the matter concerning the activities of the contractor
was handled internally by USGS contracting officers without any involvement
from the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.  In addition, there has
been no official guidance from the Secretary affecting the release of
information to the public about any aspects of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge.  The U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
other Interior agencies have continued to provide information about ANWR
studies to Congress, reporters and other interested parties as requested,
with the full support of Interior officials.

Because there is high interest in this subject, these allegations make
great reading. In this case, however, there is little fact, but mostly
fiction.

Trudy Harlow
USGS Public Affairs Officer

--- End Forwarded Message ---