A July 31 House Natural Resources Committee hearing continued to investigate reports of science manipulation within the U.S. Department of the Interior. Much of the hearing focused on the 2002 Klamath salmon die-off and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald's interference in Endangered Species Act (ESA) findings.

The testimony of staff from two Inspectors General offices and an agency scientist established a clear disparity in perspective between those involved in the scientific analysis on the ground and those making policy decisions at higher levels. Committee Chair Nick Rahall (D-WV) aggressively questioned recent determinations made under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Although no one claimed science research was changed outright, it became apparent that normal procedures were circumvented and expert recommendations were routinely disregarded when they resulted in conclusions that strayed from higher agency officials' policy priorities.

The Klamath Project controls water flows in the Klamath River basin, maintaining the natural river ecosystem while also diverting flows for agricultural needs. During a 2002 drought, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) decided to divert water in the river basin to local farms and ranches, and the area experienced the largest salmon die-off in history with over 60,000 fish dying.

A June 27 Washington Post article revealed possible interference from Vice President Dick Cheney in this farm-biased water management plan. Cheney reportedly pressured a high ranking Interior Department official, Sue Ellen Woodridge, and others "to get science on the side of the farmers." The water was ultimately diverted to the farmers after the National Research Council (NRC) found "no substantial scientific foundation" that restricting water from farmers' use would help the salmon.

Mike Kelly, the lead FWS biologist responsible for water management recommendations for Klamath Project operations, removed himself from the project because he believed that political pressure resulted in a decision that was inconsistent with the science, to the detriment of salmon, and potentially in violation of ESA. Kelly attributed the 2002 fish kill as "strong evidence" that the Klamath Project's failure to take a precautionary approach with regard to the salmon was partially responsible for the die-off. NRC's review supporting the farm-biased plan, he said, resulted from an "inappropriate burden of proof." This conclusion was supported by Oregon's science review team and an October 2004 Office of Inspector General (OIG) report which showed that normal standards and procedures ensuring scientific rigor were bypassed or expedited. Two of three reviewers for the OIG report concurred that the "best science" was not used.

MacDonald resigned following an OIG report indicating her inappropriate involvement in endangered species de-listings. With no formal scientific background, she edited field reports and badgered staff to her accept her perspective. Responding to the Natural Resource Committee's previous investigation of MacDonald's scientific tampering, FWS Director Dale Hall affirmed at the hearing that the agency is reviewing eight ESA determinations that may have been unduly influenced by MacDonald. The process will be, according to Mary Kendall of OIG, "time-consuming and costly."

The Klamath Project and MacDonald's actions join the growing list of instances of scientific manipulation by the Bush administration, including information on polar bear and eagle ESA de-listings, the scope and extent of humanity's role in climate change, the Surgeon General's repressed health reports, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's potentially higher-than-scientifically-recommended ozone standard.