Committee Overseeing US Air Quality to Meet for First Time on July 22 Since Previous Members Disbanded

WASHINGTON-Tomorrow will mark the first time the Trump administration's newly selected Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) members will hold a public meeting. One of President Donald Trump's first actions following his 2025 inauguration was to dismiss all members of this independent federal advisory committee that is housed within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). CASAC was chartered under the Clean Air Act to review the best available science and provide science-informed guidance to EPA's administrator, currently Lee Zeldin, on U.S. ambient air pollution standards. It remains a concern whether Trump's EPA-and this committee-will uphold this bedrock piece of legislation and the independent scientific process that improves air quality for hundreds of millions of Americans.

When the first Trump administration dismissed CASAC members and disbanded its panel of scientists focused on particulate pollution, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) hosted the dismissed scientists to convene independently as the Independent Particulate Matter Review Panel and then delivered their consensus recommendations on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter to the EPA. UCS has also led efforts to protect independent science and ensure that science serves the public good, including working with the Environmental Defense Fund to sue the Trump administration over Federal Advisory Committee Act violations-which they won.

Below is a statement by Dr. Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of UCS.

"For decades-under both Republican and Democratic administrations-the EPA has adhered to science-based processes for setting air pollution standards that protect public health and wellbeing. This process entailed rigorous scientific literature review, recommendations rooted in consensus, public deliberations, thorough ethics reviews of advisory committee panelists and a public comment period. Such safeguards have helped EPA's advisory committees uphold scientific facts and evidence, even in the face of intense pressure from polluting industries such as fossil fuel and chemical companies.

"Roughly 44% of Americans, including millions of children, are still living in places that get failing grades for ozone and particulate pollution. Disbanding and reconstituting this committee to seemingly serve the political whims of the current administration could further fracture public trust in government and risk outcomes that prioritize polluter profits over people's health.

"Acid rain and rivers on fire-the 1950s, 60s and 70s are not a time to be nostalgic over when it comes to our nation's air quality. We cannot allow this administration to take us back to those dark and deadly days. UCS will be monitoring the actions of this committee to ensure scientific integrity is upheld and that the best available science is used to keep our air breathable."

More UCS Resources:

• Public comments submitted by UCS and the Environmental Protection Network in advance of today's meeting.
• A recent blog post by Dr. Goldman on attacks on federal advisory committees. More of her blog posts are available here.
• Recently launched Attacks on Science Tracker.
• Toolkit on how scientists can run an independent science advisory committee.