At Interior, preparing for the worst

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is creating a new scientific panel to bolster the department’s ability to respond to environmental crises and natural disasters.

Salazar signed an order this week establishing a "Strategic Sciences Group" at Interior.

“Using the important lessons we’ve learned in preparing for and responding to past disasters, this group of expert, interdisciplinary scientists will play a major role in advising Department-wide preparedness activities and grounding them in the best available science,” Salazar said in a statement Friday.

“Their efforts will help us to act quickly, decisively and effectively when hurricanes, droughts, oil spills, wildfires or other crises strike,” he said.

Dr. Gary Machlis, the science adviser to the National Park Service director, and Dr. David Applegate, the U.S. Geological Survey’s associate director for natural hazards, will be the new team’s co-leaders.

Machlis led an experimental Strategic Sciences Working Group during the 2010 BP oil spill, according to Interior.

The order cites past crises including 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, severe Southeastern drought in 2005-2007, and the Gulf oil spill in describing the need for the new group.

“The Strategic Sciences Group will develop interdisciplinary science-based scenarios that describe possible environmental, economic and social outcomes during a crisis, and can be delivered to Department decision-makers to inform and assist their decision-making,” the order states.

“Science-based scenarios will ensure strategic responses, contribute to mid-term recovery, and support long-term restoration,” it says.

The effort continues Salazar’s efforts to use administrative tools at a time when Congress is politically deadlocked on a number of energy and conservation issues.

The administration also overhauled offshore drilling oversight in the wake of the BP oil spill, while bills to put a Capitol Hill stamp on new drilling safety remain stuck.