Scientists fear loss of intelligence data to DHS "needs"

Scientists fear losing access to intelligence data
By Les Blumenthal | McClatchy Newspapers

* Posted on Sunday, January 13, 2008


WASHINGTON — Ten years ago, a Canadian icebreaker was parked in an ice pack 300 miles north of Pt. Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States, and allowed to drift so scientists could study the Arctic environment and global warming's effect on it. The icebreaker drifted with the ice for a year and more than 1,800 miles as researchers tracked changes in the Arctic ice pack.

Top-secret U.S. spy satellites were among those tracking the icebreaker. With the approval of a little-noticed government body known as the Civil Applications Committee, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency released nearly 60 photos to scientists.

The committee, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Geological Survey, reviews civilian requests for classified reconnaissance information and makes recommendations to the intelligence community, which has the final say about what gets declassified. Such intelligence data can be helpful to scientists studying everything from volcanoes, forest fires, earthquakes and landslides to climate change, hurricanes, flooding and pollution.

Now, however, the Bush administration plans to abolish the committee and create a office in the Department of Homeland Security to review such requests and others from law enforcement agencies. Scientists are concerned that their requests could be sidetracked or delayed as security and law enforcement needs get priority.

The shift would be a "grave mistake," and the administration should rethink its plan, said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., the chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee that oversees the USGS and a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Dicks said he's heard from federal scientists who don't like the plan. "They are worried," he said. "The scientists say this information is very valuable to them, and they are concerned this new office will be looking more at homeland security and law enforcement."

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This scumbag and his henchmen are an outrage!

it's my bet that whomever wins will continue this madness.

the dick is the brains behind all this and he has been diligently working for his whole adult life to be where he is today. He must be stopped first. hopefully they, the cadre of Dr's with him, will not notice soon enough that his heart has stopped and that bastard is allowed to pass on. I truly believe that when its all said and done he will be seen as the most dangerous man ever in history. We must not forget that what we do know about him is but only the equivalent to the tip to the iceberg.